Short-term transdermal estradiol enhances nitric oxide synthase III and estrogen receptor mRNA expression in arteries of women with coronary artery disease.

Objective: To analyze the short-term effects of estradiol (E2) on the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS III) and estrogen receptors (ER) alpha and beta.

Methods: We studied 20 post-menopausal women with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing CABG surgery with left internal mammary artery (LIMA) grafting. Ten women received treatment with transdermal E2 prior to surgery (48-72 h) and 10 did not.