Hormone combo cuts high blood pressure in women

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Hormone combo cuts high blood pressure in women

Last Updated: 2004-05-21 16:50:26 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Peggy Peck

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new hormonal therapy that combines the

natural hormone estradiol with a synthetic one called drospirenone

appears to be a useful treatment for high blood pressure in women who've

passed menopause, according to results reported here at the American

Society of Hypertension's annual scientific meeting.

Lead researcher Dr. White, from the University of Connecticut in

Farmington, said that women assigned to the drug, which is marketed in

Europe as Angeliq, experienced a much greater drop in blood pressure

than women who received inactive " placebo. " The study enrolled 212

women, between 45 and 80 years of age, with high blood pressure.

In an interview with Reuters Health, White said Angeliq seems to provide

the symptom relief of standard hormone therapy without the increased

risk of blood clots.

Angeliq is not yet approved for use in the United States, White added.

The study was funded by Berlex, Inc.

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org