Westwood : Women Sought for Study

Researchers at the UCLA School of Medicine are seeking women, ages 45 to 64, who are in good health and have had a natural or surgical menopause to volunteer for a national health study.

The school is seeking 75 women for a three-year investigation of hormone replacement therapy and its role in preventing heart disease and other health problems, including osteoporosis, in post-menopausal women.

“Since heart disease is the No. 1 killer of post-menopausal women, this is an extremely important study,” UCLA’s Howard Judd said. “We don’t fully understand all the factors involved in the development of heart disease in women. However, hormonal factors do play a role in preventing heart disease, and we hope to gain valuable knowledge about the nature and importance of this role.”

Judd is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA and principal investigator of the study.

The study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, is the first national study to focus on women, who have been under-represented in most previous research on heart disease and many other major health problems. UCLA is one of seven participating institutions.

Women who participate will receive free blood tests, mammography, bone density studies, electrocardiograms and relevant medication throughout the study.

For more information, call the UCLA Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at (213) 825-9502.