Oral contraceptives may increase risk of atherosclerosis
"The link of taking birth control pills and for some women, high blood pressure and blood clots is known." However, " a recent study from AHA ( American Heart Association ) meeting shows that...healthy women, who had previously taken the pill, had an unexpected increase in artery causing plaque," which "is a key factor in heart disease."
"Long-term use of oral contraceptives" may "increase the chances of having artery buildups that can raise the risk of heart disease," according to the findings. Researchers in Belgium "studied about 1,300 healthy women ages 35 to 55 taking part in a long-running observational study." Approximately "81 % had taken oral contraceptives for more than a year at some point in their lives." When "[u]ltrasound exams were done of arteries in their necks and legs to look for...plaque,"
The researchers found "a 20 to 30 % increased prevalence of plaque for every 10 years of oral contraceptive use."
"Many of the women in the study used pills with higher doses of estrogen than are used today."
"A woman who smokes or has a strong family history of heart disease...may want to avoid oral contraception," because these factors increase the "risk of blood clots." However, this risk is eliminated once they cease taking the pill.
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