Key result
During lower hormone phases, oral contraceptive pill users had significantly higher brachial systolic blood pressure (119.3 vs. 110.2 mmHg, P=0.02) compared to naturally menstruating women.
Why the study?
It was unknown whether blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and pressure waveform indices differ between young oral contraceptive pill users and naturally menstruating women across cycle phases.
Does oral contraceptive pill use alter blood pressure and arterial stiffness compared to natural menstruation across different hormone phases in young healthy women?
Cross-Sectional (n=22)
Does oral contraceptive pill use alter blood pressure and arterial stiffness compared to natural menstruation across different hormone phases in young healthy women?
While exogenous and endogenous hormones similarly influence blood pressure and arterial stiffness during high hormone phases, the lower hormone (placebo) phase of oral contraceptive use is associated with moderately increased central and peripheral blood pressures.
OCP placebo phase associated with higher SBP; hypothesis-generating for phase-specific BP effects on CV risk in young women.
NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? Are there differences in blood pressure, arterial stiffness and indices of pressure waveforms between young oral contraceptive pill-using and naturally menstruating women during lower and higher hormone phases of their cycles? What is the main finding and its importance? Blood pressure, arterial stiffness and indices of pressure waveforms are influenced similarly by exogenous and endogenous hormones. However, lower levels of exogenous hormones moderately increase blood pressure among oral contraceptive pill-using women. ABSTRACT: Elevations in blood pressure (BP) are understood as having a bidirectional relationship with stiffening of central and peripheral arteries. Arterial stiffness is mitigated by oestrogen, which aides in arterial vasorelaxation. To evaluate whether BP, stiffness, and pressure waveforms were different between young healthy naturally menstruating (non-OCP) and oral contraceptive pill (OCP)-using women, we measured brachial and aortic BPs, carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity, carotid β-stiffness, elastic modulus, central augmentation index and augmentation index normalized to a heart rate of 75 bpm, and forward and backward pressure waveforms in 22 women (22 (1) years, OCP: n = 12). To assess phasic differences, women were studied during the early follicular (≤5 days of menstruation onset) and early luteal (4 (2) days post-ovulation) phases of non-OCP and compared to the placebo pill (≤5 days of onset) and active pill (≤5 days of highest-dose active pill) phases of OCP. During the lower hormone phases, OCP users had significantly higher brachial systolic blood pressure (SBP) (119.3 (8.3) vs. 110.2 (8.3) mmHg, P = 0.02) and aortic SBP (104.10 (7.44) vs. 96.80 (6.39) mmHg, P = 0.03) as compared to non-OCP users; however, during the higher hormone phases, there were no differences in measures of brachial or aortic BP, arterial stiffness, or indices of BP waveforms between OCP and non-OCP users (P ≥ 0.05). In conclusion, exogenous and endogenous hormones have similar influences on BP and arterial stiffness; however, lower levels of exogenous hormones augment both central and peripheral BPs.
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A 2022 study conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy (n=22). Oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use vs. Naturally menstruating (non-OCP) women was evaluated on Brachial systolic blood pressure during the lower hormone phase (p=0.02). During lower hormone phases, oral contraceptive pill users had significantly higher brachial systolic blood pressure (119.3 vs. 110.2 mmHg, P=0.02) compared to naturally menstruating women.
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