ECG Abnormalities in Asymptomatic Postmenopausal Women Can Stratify Risk

Electrocardiogram abnormalities in asymptomatic individuals are associated with future coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. However, data relevant to postmenopausal women are scant. These authors conducted a post hoc analysis of data from the Women’s Health Initiative trial of hormone therapy in which nearly 15,000 postmenopausal women with intact uteri were randomized to receive 0.625 mg estrogen plus 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (Prempro) or placebo and were followed every 6 months for a mean of 5.6 years. Major endpoints were incidence of CHD (acute myocardial infarction requiring hospitalization, silent MI on serial ECGs, or death due to CHD) and CVD (CHD death and nonfatal MI, coronary artery bypa…