Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning PubHealthInfo

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PubHealth.info® (a subsidiary of PakMed) presents scientific information mainly based on abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health issues/topics, particularly encompassing population planning, disease prevention, maternal and child health, and communicable and non-communicable diseases (like HIV AIDS, malaria, etc) that are affecting a significant portion of population in developing and developed countries. Here you can find abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health topics under category "Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning". Contraception (birth control) is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant or giving birth. Therefore contraception is the utilization of various and sundry surgical procedures, devices, practices, agents, or drugs with the intention of preventing conception or impregnation (pregnancy). Methods and intentions typically termed birth control may be considered a pivotal ingredient to family planning. Birth control is a controversial political and ethical issue in many cultures and religions, and although it is generally less controversial than abortion specifically.

YEAR: 1983

CATEGORY: Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning

TITLE

Oral contraception and coronary heart disease.

AUTHORS

Oliver MF

SOURCE

European Heart Journal. 1983 Jan;4(1):6-8.

ABSTRACT

The risk of myocardial infarction or stroke is negligible in normal healthy young women taking low dose oral

contraceptive (OCs), but the risk increases with reproductive age and in women over about 35 the overall risk of a

coronary is increased 4-fold. The risk is worse in women who smoke cigarettes, in those with a family history of

vascular disease, and in those taking high estrogen pills. There are numerous effects that OCs produce on

metabolism and blood pressure, but it is probable that the sporadic vascular incidents are due to major arterial

thrombosis. In this issue of the "European Heart Journal," Engel et al. have extended their earlier experience by

analyzing the relevant data in 76 women under 50 whose coronary arteriograms showed atherosclerosis or who had

past myocardial infarction, and within this group there were 42 who had taken an OC. They have shown that the

coexistence of risk factors is not a necessary occurrence for the development of an acute coronary event and that the

prevalence of risk factors in whom, who have such a vascular event in association with OC use, is not different from

those who develop a vascular event when not taking OC. This does not discount the added risk from coexisting risk

factors, but the findings of Engel et al. make prediction much more difficult. The power of predicting acute vascular

events associated with OCs is very low. It has not helped to monitor the metabolic and blood pressure responses

because these become abnormal in a far larger group of women than those who develop vascular events, and thus

far no information exists as to whether those who actually have an actue vascular event were those who had an

excessive metabolic or blood pressure response. Many changes occur in coagulation indices and in vitro

measurements of supposed precursors of thrombosis, but it has not been shown that those with an excessive

response are those who have developed major vascular events. The coronary arteriographic study reported by Engel

et al. should focus attention on the adequacy of prediction. Until recently, it was orthodox thinking to believe that the

adverse effects of OCs occurred only during the time when they are taken and that they are related to a large extent to

the length of administration and the dosage. A recent report suggests that a continuing excess residual risk can be

seen in women over 40 with more than 5 years use of OC in the past. If this is the case, there is all the more reason

to improve predictive power of vascular risks so that those particularly sensitive to OC can be identified.

(PubHealth.info Document ID: CONT5T 2062-06)

PubHealth.info NOTE: The author(s) of this article titled, "Oral contraception and coronary heart disease.", is(are)

Oliver MF. The source of this article is "European Heart Journal. 1983 Jan;4(1):6-8.". This article was published in

1983 in English language(s). (PubHealth.info® Document ID: CONT5T 2062-06. All rights reserved with

PubHealth.info) PIN: 22062

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