1 The in¯uence of menopause on ventricular function and remodelling remains unde®ned. The following study examined the e ect of ovariectomy on ventricular contractility, cardiac hypertrophy and extracellular matrix protein expression. 2 Elevated circulating levels of the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 have been reported in postmenopausal women. Moreover, endothelin-1 has been shown to in¯uence blood pressure, ventricular function and cardiac remodelling. In this regard, the potential pathophysiological role of endothelin-1 in the ovariectomized rat was assessed via the administration of the selective endothelin A receptor (ET A ) antagonist BMS-182874.3 In 3 and 6 week ovariectomized female Sprague ± Dawley rats, uterus atrophy was associated with a signi®cant increase in mean arterial pressure, and left ventricular systolic pressure, as compared to sham. By contrast, right ventricular contractile indices were normal in the ovariectomized rat. Despite increased systolic load, left ventricular hypertrophy was not evident, prepro-atrial natriuretic peptide (prepro-ANP) mRNA levels and collagen protein content were similar to sham. 4 The treatment of ovariectomized rats with BMS-182874 (60 mg kg 71 per day) did not reverse uterus atrophy. However, BMS-182874 normalized mean arterial pressure, and left ventricular systolic pressure in the ovariectomized rat. 5 Thus, despite elevated blood pressure, ovariectomized rats were not associated with either cardiac hypertrophy or ®brosis. Lastly, endothelin-1, acting via the stimulation of the ET A receptor represents an integral mechanism implicated in the increase of mean arterial pressure following ovariectomy.

1 An increased incidence of systemic hypertension has been documented in postmenopausal women and identified as an independent risk factor in the development of cerebrovascular stroke. The present study examined whether cerebrovascular reactivity was increased in the hypertensive ovariectomized rat, and explored the potential therapeutic benefit of the partial estrogen receptor agonist tamoxifen. 2 Female Sprague -Dawley rats were subjected to bilateral ovariectomy (OVX, n ¼ 16) or a sham operation (n ¼ 8). At 6-week postsurgery, rats were anesthetized to assess ventricular contractility and blood pressure. In a second series of experiments, OVX rats (n ¼ 8) were given tamoxifen starting 3 weeks postsurgery, and continued for 3 weeks. At the end of each protocol, the middle cerebral artery was harvested and rings were mounted in wire-myographs to measure isometric tension. 3 Systolic arterial pressure (SAP) was significantly increased (Po0.05) in the OVX rat (17478 mmHg), as compared to sham (13576 mmHg). The resting tension of isolated cerebral arteries from OVX rats (186715 mg) was significantly elevated (Po0.05), as compared to sham (12979 mg). Phenylephrine treatment did not elicit a constriction of cerebral arteries isolated from sham rats, whereas a potent response (Po0.05) was observed in OVX rats. Nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibition with L-NNA led to a limited contraction in sham rats (873% of E max ), whereas a significant (Po0.05) increase was observed in OVX rats (34712% of E max ). Lastly, vascular sensitivity (pD 2 ) to sodium nitroprusside was significantly increased (Po0.05) in OVX rats, as compared to sham. 4 Tamoxifen therapy normalized the resting tension of isolated cerebral arteries from OVX rats, abrogated phenylephrine-mediated contraction, and modestly reduced SAP. By contrast, tamoxifen treatment of OVX rats did not attenuate L-NNA-mediated contractile response of cerebral arteries. 5 These data demonstrate that the cerebral artery isolated from the OVX rat was associated with an exaggerated vasoconstrictor response to phenylephrine, and altered NO-dependent vascular reactivity. The administration of tamoxifen to OVX rats normalized cerebral artery reactivity to phenylephrine. These findings provide the impetus to examine the potential therapeutic benefit of the partial estrogen receptor agonist tamoxifen to reduce the incidence of cerebrovascular stroke in postmenopausal women.

Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) has failed to provide a cardioprotective action in postmenopausal women, and thus alternative pharmacological approaches are required. The present study examined the therapeutic potential of the partial estrogen receptor agonist tamoxifen and the angiotensin II type-1 receptor antagonist irbesartan on the hemodynamic profile of ovariectomized (OVX) female Sprague-Dawley rats (9-11 weeks). Three weeks following ovariectomy, uterine atrophy was evident and body weight was increased as compared with sham-operated animals. Left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were significantly increased in the OVX rats as compared with sham rats. One week following ovariectomy, rats were treated with either tamoxifen (10 mg kg-1 day-1) or irbesartan (40 mg kg-1 day-1) for a period of 2 weeks. The administration of tamoxifen to OVX rats partially reversed uterine atrophy and prevented body weight gain, albeit body weight remained significantly lower than in sham-operated animals. LVSP and LVEDP were normalized in the tamoxifen-treated OVX rats, whereas MAP remained elevated. Irbesartan partially reduced the body weight gain of the OVX rats and did not influence uterine atrophy. LVSP and MAP were normalized in irbesartan-treated OVX rats, whereas LVEDP remained elevated. These data demonstrate that irbesartan rather than tamoxifen was efficacious in normalizing MAP in the OVX rats without a secondary effect on the uterus.