BACKGROUND– Menopause can lead to alterations in women’s well being, with changes in the oxidative status of postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES– To determine the extent of free radical damage in the form of oxidative stress (MDA), the antioxidant property of HDL (paraoxonase) in post menopausal women compared with healthy controls.

MATERIALS & METHODS– The  study  was  conducted  on  30 post  menopausal  women with  no history of  hypertension and diabetes and 30 healthy premenopausal controls. Mean age of post menopausal women was 41.1 ± 1.2 years whereas for pre menopausal women was 48.3 ± 1.5 years. Informed consent was taken. Serum MDA levels were estimated by Kei–Satoh’s method, serum paraoxonase by spectrophotometric method using paraoxon as a substrate.

RESULTS– On evaluation there was increase in MDA levels which was statistically significant and there was decrease in serum paraoxonase in post menopausal women which was also statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS– We hypothesize that increased susceptibility of post menopausal women to accelerated atherogenesis is due to increased oxidative stress & decreased antioxidant effect of HDL but further studies with larger sample size should be taken up to prove our hypothesis.