Oral contraceptives and blood pressure

ABSTRACT

To study the results of blood pressure in a group of Pakistani women taking oral contraceptive pills and compare them with age matched control. The study group comprised of fifty women [mean age 30.256+/-4.55 years] taking oral contraceptives for a period varying from 1-10 years. Control included fifty age matched women [mean age 30.85+/-4.33 years] using mechanical methods of contraception. Three consecutive blood pressure readings were taken and average of three readings was taken as basal blood pressure. Mean parity rate was 4.576+/-1.7 and 4.23+/-2.12 respectively in oral contraceptive and control. Group. The difference was non significant. The difference of mean ponderal index of the two groups was statistically non-significant. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in oral contraceptive and control group was 116.255+/-10.65 mmHg and 77.98+/-8.10 mmHg, 112.368+/-11.74mmHg and 74.58+/-7.39mmHg I respectively, blood pressure was in the hypertensive range in 5 women, past history of toxaemia of pregnancy was present in 3 cases of contraceptive and 4 of control group. Urinary tract infection present in 2 and 4 women in the contraceptive and control groups respectively. Family history of diabetes mellitus was present in 9 cases of the control and 5 cases of the contraceptive group. It is suggested that oral I contraceptive drugs should be used with particular care in females with higher parity, history of toxaemia of pregnancy, preexisting hypertension and family history of hypertension