Effect on Blood Pressure of Changing from High to Low Dose Steroid Preparations in Women with Oral Contraceptive Induced Hypertension

Abstract

Thirty women with hypertension induced by oral contraceptives containing 50 μg oestrogen and 1 to 4 mg. progestagen showed a marked significant fall in blood pressure when given either (a) a combination of 30 μg ethinyloestradiol with 150 to 250 μg levonorgestrel or (b) 350 μg norethisterone alone. One year after changing to either of these low dose preparations blood pressure had not fully returned to pre-oral contraceptive levels.