Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018799 (heart disease)
 34,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The effects of oral contraceptives and estrogen replacement drugs on blood lipids that affect cardiovascular disease (atherogenic effects) are reviewed by comparing their androgenicity and progestin potency. Although early oral contraceptives with high doses of estrogen were indicted for increasing risk of thromboembolic disorders and heart attacks, today's pills low in estrogen still bear the same risk for cardiovascular events. A brief explanation of the lipoproteins is presented, emphasizing the importance of High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) in protecting against heart disease and stroke. Menstruating women have naturally high HDL. The estrogen in oral contraceptives and postmenopausal estrogen replacements increases HDL as much as 30%, while decreasing LDL, the component carrying most of the cholesterol. It seems that the progestin in oral contraceptives will lower HDL, and studies show that this action is related to androgenicity and dose of the progestin. Progestins such as levonorgestrel and norgestrel are more androgenic, while norethynodrel, ethynodiol diacetate and norethindrone are less so. When used in combination with estrogens, progestins are less androgenic, but when used alone, the androgenic and atherogenic effects dominate. The lower the estrogen dose in the combination, say around 20-35 mcg ethinyl estradiol, the more atherogenic the progestin. These actions are confirmed theoretically by measurements of sex hormone binding globulin, a blood protein that reflects estrogen activity, as well as by epidemiologic studies in Sweden and Great Britain, where rates of heart attack and stroke in pill users remain as high as they were when pills contained high doses of estrogen.
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PMID:Low-dose oral contraceptives: progestin potency, androgenicity, and atherogenic potential. 353 47

Many studies show that low-dose OCs have little adverse effect on carbohydrate metabolism and are safe for healthy women, women with a history of gestational diabetes, and women with insulin-dependent diabetes to use. In fact, large epidemiologic studies indicate that OCs, even the high-dose OCs (=or 50 mcg) for long periods, do not increase the risk of diabetes. There is some evidence indicating that OC use does not heighten the progression of diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, or cardiovascular complications among women with insulin-dependent diabetes. There is no significant difference in carbohydrate metabolism among the different OC formulations. One must carefully consider the risk:benefit ratio of OC use in diabetic women since pregnancy has serious consequences for both mother and fetus. Cardiovascular complications in OC users do not originate from atherogenesis. The androgenic properties of the progestin in low-dose OCs and their effect on lipids are inconsequential for later development of coronary atherogenesis. The estrogen in OCs may protect against atherosclerosis, particularly among women at high risk of atherosclerosis. Former OC users are not at an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, or other heart disease. Lipid changes in OC users tend to remain within the normal range and return to pretreatment values during the pill-free week. All OCs suppress gonadotropins and subsequent ovarian androgen production. They partially suppress androgen production by the adrenals as well. This suppression from two fronts outweighs any androgenic action of the progestin alone. Further, androgenic action probably cannot overpower the estrogen effect. The dose of levonorgestrel used in OCs is too low to express androgenic effects. Since OCs suppress androgen production, all OCs tend to improve acne. OCs reduce free testosterone and increase sex hormone binding globulin levels.
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PMID:Metabolic effects of oral contraceptives: fact vs. fiction. 1232 11

Because evidence suggests lipoprotein (Lp(a)) may be an important cardiovascular risk factor in women, we evaluated whether reproductive hormones may influence Lp(a) concentrations and insulin resistance in a large multicenter study of women transitioning to postmenopause. Data were taken from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a prospective multiethnic study of menopausal transition (1,368 Caucasians, 808 African-Americans, 220 Chinese, 216 Hispanic, and 251 Japanese). Blood was assayed for Lp(a), follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol (E2), testosterone, and sex hormone binding globulin (free estradiol index and free androgen index), thyroid stimulating hormone, and glucose and insulin (to calculate insulin resistance). African-American women had twofold higher mean Lp(a) values than women of the other 4 race/ethnic groups, adjusted for body mass index (BMI). Lp(a) was modestly correlated with E2 (r = 0.10) in women without self-reported diagnosed heart disease but not in women with self-reported heart disease. Lp(a) was positively associated with log insulin resistance in women without self-reported heart disease but not in women with self-reported heart disease, an association that was not significant after adjusting for ethnicity, BMI, smoking, age, and site. Race/ethnicity, particularly being African-American, accounted for most of the explained Lp(a) variations. Lp(a) was very modestly associated (r = -0.04) with insulin resistance after adjusting for ethnicity and BMI, and this association was not modified by reproductive hormones, including androgens.
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PMID:Association of lipoprotein(a), insulin resistance, and reproductive hormones in a multiethnic cohort of pre- and perimenopausal women (The SWAN Study). 1294 72

This study focuses on the role of sex steroids on the libido, sexual life, emotional and physiological heart of men of all ages. Sex steroids play a significant role throughout a man's life, with a gradual decline in old age. The foetal testis secretes testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone at about nine weeks gestation. At puberty, testosterone increases dramatically in boys. Changes in weight and height of boys across this period are associated with increasing testosterone concentration and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Romantic thoughts, fantasy, and sexual pleasure-seeking behaviour in adolescents are associated with exposure to high androgens secretion. Thus, the libido and sexual life of a man is initiated and maintained by testosterone and SHBG. Lower testosterone levels are associated with erectile dysfunction among other risk factors: diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, psychological stress and obesity. Men with proven coronary atherosclerosis have lower levels of testosterone and SHBG, which have negative correlation with very low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, body mass index and body fat mass. These are some of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Thus, in men, endogenous sex steroids impart beneficial effects on the heart. How exactly endogenous sex steroids act on the heart is not clear. Further study is needed to understand the interaction between endogenous sex steroids, higher centers in the brain and the heart of a man.
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PMID:Hormonal profiles behind the heart of a man. 1965 70