Hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women and its effects on plasma lipid levels.

Postmenopausal women run the same risks of coronary heart disease as men. The lipid alterations observed at this time reflect increased blood levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and lipoprotein (a), and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. These changes lead to a higher risk of coronary artery disease, and hormonal therapy has a favorable effect on lipid metabolism.