The effects of antihypertensive agents on endometrial thickness in asymptomatic, hypertensive, postmenopausal women

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate, by using transvaginal ultrasonography, the possible effects on endometrial thickness of antihypertensive agents in asymptomatic postmenopausal women. Design: A prospective study in an outpatient menopause clinic of a university hospital. We included 288 postmenopausal women in this study, and we compared three groups of postmenopausal women as follows: (1) normotensive postmenopausal women, (2) hypertensive women treated with an antihypertensive drug (beta-blocker, non-beta-blocker, or beta-blocker plus non-p-blocker), and (3) untreated hypertensive women who had had hypertension for at least 1 year. Hypertensive women treated with a drug had been receiving treatment for 1 year. All women were interviewed and examined. Measurements of endometrial thickness were carried out by vaginal ultrasonography. Results: Sixty-two women (22%) were normotensive, and 226 (78%) of 288 women were hypertensive. Of the 226 women, 122 (54%) were receiving an antihypertensive drug. The mean (+/- SD) endometrial thicknesses in groups A, B, and C were 4.5 (+/- 1.3), 5.4 (+/- 1.5), and 6.4 (+/- 1.7) mm, respectively. Significant difference was obtained among the groups (P = 0.004). Conclusions: Our data indicate that the mean endometrial thickness is significantly greater in asymptomatic, hypertensive women receiving antihypertensive drugs than among untreated hypertensive and normotensive women.