Estrogen Status Correlates with the Calcium Content of Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaques in Women

Background: Coronary artery calcium, a radiographic marker for atherosclerosis and a predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD), is less extensive in women than in men of the same age. The role of estrogen in the pathogenesis of coronary artery calcification is unknown. We examined the association of estrogen status with extent of calcification and atherosclerotic plaque in coronary arteries of deceased women.