Vascular and Metabolic Effects of Hormone Therapy Combined With L-Arginine in Postmenopausal Women

All volunteer subjects will be assessed for study participation, including a cardiovascular physical examination and resting electrocardiogram. Fasting blood will be taken for SMAC, CBC, thyroid battery, lipid levels, estradiol and FSH levels under screening protocol 94-H-0045. A urine pregnancy test will be performed in women with a uterus and cessation of menses less than 6 months. Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroidal drugs (oral, ointment, drops or inhalation) will be stopped 10 days prior to starting the study and discontinued throughout the study. Thirty hypercholesterolemic (LDL greater than 130 mg/dL) postmenopausal women who have not taken estrogenic hormone, antioxidant vitamins (A, C, E), or lipid-lowering therapy in the preceding 2 months will be selected to take part in this double-blind, cross-over study. No subjects with plasma estradiol level greater than 50 pg/ml and FSH less than 50 pg/ml. No subjects with blood pressure greater than 160/100 mm/Hg (off medication). No subjects smoking cigarettes within 6 months. No pregnant subjects. No subjects with a history of deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolus. No subjects with important chronic medical conditions (cancer, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, COPD, renal disease) other than hypothyroidism if the subject is euthyroid on thyroid replacement. No subjects who refuse to follow nitrate-restricted diet for 3 days prior to each study.