Ophthalmic artery vasodilation after intranasal estradiol use in postmenopausal women.

Aim: The study aim was to evaluate the acute hemodynamic effects of intranasal 17-beta-estradiol on ophthalmic arterial circulation in postmenopausal women.

Methods: Twenty-one healthy women in natural menopause for at least 6 months (mean age: 53.2± 2.9 years) were investigated. Each patient received 300 µg intranasal 17-beta-estradiol. We evaluated the heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, ophthalmic artery velocity at systolic and diastolic peak and its flow curve integral (FCI) before and 30, 60 and 180 minutes after the administration of the drug.

Results: At all time points, the ophthalmic artery FCI showed statistically significant variations (p<0.001) of velocity (cm/sec) compared to T0 (speed recorded at baseline before drug administration). Moreover, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate did not significantly differ each other after drug administration.

Conclusions: Administration of a single dose of intranasal 17-beta-estradiol to healthy postmenopausal women increases ophthalmic artery perfusion.