We review herein the evidence that estrogen is protective against the development of
cardiovascular disease in women. To our knowledge, no studies in women have looked at
endogenous estrogen levels as predictors of cardiovascular disease. Studies of surrogate
measures of endogenous estrogen such as parity, age at menarche, and age at menopause
have provided inconsistent results. Current use of oral contraceptives increases risk in older
women who smoke cigarettes, but most studies of past use show no increased risk. Most, but …