AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE IN MILD HYPERTENSIVE WOMEN TAKING ORAL-CONTRACEPTIVES - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

The aim of the present study was to compare the ambulatory blood press ure levels in mild (stage I) hypertensive women using oral contracepti ves and respective values in nonusers of oral contraceptives with simi lar office blood pressure. The study group consisted of 24 mild hypert ensive patients taking low dosage estrogen-progestogen oral contracept ives. Seventy women of similar age and body mass index who had never u sed oral contraceptives served as a control group. Both daytime and ni ghttime systolic blood pressure values were significantly higher in or al contraceptive users. There was an average 8.3 mm Hg difference (95% confidence interval, 3.0 to 13.7 mm Hg; P = .003) for the daytime and 6.1 mm Hg difference (95% confidence interval, 0.4 to 11.8 mm Hg; P = .04) for the nighttime. No significant differences in ambulatory dias tolic blood pressure between the two groups were found. These data pro vide evidence that hypertensive oral contraceptive users with the same office blood pressure as that in hypertensive noncontraceptive users have a significantly higher ambulatory systolic blood pressure. Our re sults support the opinion that alternative methods of contraception sh ould be considered for hypertensive women in place of oral contracepti ves.