Tom G. Bailey

The risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease increases in ageing females, coinciding with the onset of menopause. Differences in peripheral and cerebrovascular function across menopausal stages, however, are poorly characterized. The aim of this study was to compare peripheral and cerebrovascular function between healthy premenopausal (PRE), early (1–6 years after final menstrual period; E‐POST) and late (>6 years after final menstrual period; L‐POST) postmenopausal females. We also explored the association between reproductive hormones, NO bioavailability and cerebrovascular function. In 39 females (40–65 years of age), we measured arterial stiffness, brachial artery flow‐mediated dilatation, and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) to hypercapnia in the middle (MCAv) and internal (ICA) carotid arteries. Follicle‐stimulating hormone, estradiol, progesterone and plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations were also measured. Years since final menstrual period (PRE, 0 ± 0 years; E‐POST, 3 ± 1 years; L‐POST, 11 ± 4 years; P < 0.001) and estradiol levels (PRE, 145.5 ± 65.6 pg ml −1 ; E‐POSTm 30.2 ± 81.2 pg ml −1 ; L‐POST, 7.7 ± 11.3 pg ml −1 ; P < 0.001) were different between groups. All groups exceeded the guidelines for recommended physical activity. There were no group differences in blood pressure ( P = 0.382), arterial stiffness ( P = 0.129), flow‐mediated dilatation ( P = 0.696) or MCAv CVR ( P = 0.442). The ICA CVR blood flow response was lower in PRE compared with L‐POST (26.5 ± 19.2 vs. 47.8 ± 12.6%; P = 0.010), but after adjusting for age these differences were no longer present. Flow‐mediated dilatation ( r = 0.313, P = 0.105) and ICA CVR ( r = −0.154, P = 0.495) were not associated with the estradiol concentration. There were no associations between the estradiol concentration and NO bioavailability. These results suggest that in healthy, physically active early and late postmenopausal females, vascular and cerebrovascular function is generally well preserved.