On the other hand, despite hormonal differences being evoked as the reason for women having less atherosclerotic disease than men, it is not apparent from existing data that between-person variability in endogenous hormones is likely to be a strong risk factor for atherosclerotic disease in women. Furthermore, the atherosclerotic process begins early in life, and postmenopausal hormone differences are only one aspect of possible hormonal effects on disease. Nevertheless, this study has the potential to provide important new information on the role of endogenous hormones on atherosclerotic disease in postmenopausal women.