1. Hypothesis Estrogen and Progestrone are proctective factors against high systolic blood pressure which is a risk factor for the development of cardiovacular diseaes

2. How will participants be selected Outpatient settings i.e. doctor offices, specialty clinics Community centers Public Health clinics

3. Why important to study/what we don’t know There has not been much research on estrogen and a correlation to systolic blood pressure

4. What we know Women who are postmenopausal have an increase in systolic blood to that of men near age 60-69 Women rate of CVD increase post menopause Boys on average have a higher systolic than boys Systolic stays with the person into adulthood

5. What pops are most affected

6. Study Design Cohort over 5 years Population: – 500 Women and Men aged 45-65. 250 men 250 women. – 175 middle class women/men ;175 women/men below poverty line – Non smokers for at least 8 years – Ethnicity AA Caucasion Asian-American

7. What comparisons will be made Compare levels of estrogen/progersteron via intravenous blood test Compare those levels of hormones to systolic blood pressure If a person develops CAD their out of the study DATA COLLECTED EVERY THREE MONTHS

8. Measures used to test hypothesis