Relationship between sex hormones and coronary artery disease

To assess the effects of sex hormones and their ratios on coronary artery disease (CAD), serum estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and testosterone (T) of CAD patients (n = 116) and healthy controls (n = 54) were measured. Comparing with controls, (1) serum P increased significantly in the group of male CAD patients (CADm) and post menopausal female CAD patients (CADf); (2) the CADf had significant increase in serum T; (3) the E2/P ratio decreased significantly in the group of CADm and both E2/P and E2/T ratios decreased significantly in the group of CADf. The overall data indicated: (1) High level of serum progesterone is a risk factor of CAD, while high level of serum testosterone is a risk facter of CAD for postmenopausal women. (2 ) Imbalance between sex hormones is closely related to the onset of CAD.