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Query: UMLS:C0018799 (heart disease)
 34,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The risks and benefits of the newer oral contraceptives are evaluated, considering cancer, teratogenicity, drug interactions, cardiovascular risks, and carbohydrate metabolism. Oral contraceptives confer the lowest mortality risk of all contraceptives, except sexual abstinence, in all women under 30 and in nonsmokers through age 40 in developed countries. In less developed countries where maternal mortality can be as high as 5-10%, the risks of even nonmedically supervised oral contraceptives are dwarfed. The pill protects against ovarian cancer even after the pill is discontinued because it suppresses ovulation, and endometrial cancer because it blocks estrogen receptors. The relationship of oral contraception to breast cancer is still in dispute, but no good evidence exists for increased risk, especially with new low- dose pills. There may be a slightly increased risk of cervical cancer, although it is difficult to separate out other risk factors co-existing in pill users, such as earlier sexarche, more partners and more frequent screening. The incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, functional ovarian cysts and ectopic pregnancy is reduced by pills. There is only 1 report of increased incidence of congenital heart disease in infants whose mothers took pills during pregnancy. Drug interactions are common, and must be managed by the physician. Among currently popular pills, only the norgestrel and levonorgestrel-containing multiphasic pills are said to decrease HDL2 and impair glucose tolerance, because they are androgenic enough to overcome the low dose of estrogen.
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PMID:Oral contraceptives: a reassessment. 267 44

People are so conscious of the possible risks involved in using contraceptives that they sometimes overlook the many benefits of contraceptive use for most women. Most women have only minimal risk factors from contraceptive use and can safely choose from all available contraceptives. There are, however, some women for whom pre-existing medical conditions may increase the risk factors associated with using certain contraceptives. Recommendations are given for safely prescribing for patients with some of the more common problems associated with contraceptive use. The following conditions are considered: insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, hypertension, migraine headaches, sickle-cell disease, personal or family history of venous thromboembolism, personal or family history of heart disease or stroke, personal or family history of carcinoma of the breast, and pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy.
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PMID:Action plans for safe prescribing. 992 92

Some scientists have shown that the oral contraceptive pill can cause breast cancer and heart disease. But no one is really quite sure about the negative side effects of the pill. Experts are sure that the pill can even prevent some forms of cancer. Studies have shown that users will be more protected from cancer of the ovaries than women who do not take the pill. And the protection lasts even after one stops taking the pill. Through the chemical hormones estrogen and progestogen, the pill sends a message to the ovaries not to produce an egg. When a woman is on the pill, her ovaries get a rest. For that reason, there is less chance for problems like cancer to develop. Also, a woman who takes the pill will be more protected from cancer of the endometrium, because the pill causes her to have lighter periods. In addition, with lighter periods, she will probably have less painful periods, too. Taking the pill also will decrease the risk for getting ovary and breast cysts. Pill users have less chance of developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which, if left untreated, can cause damage to the reproductive organs. The best way to ease any concerns about taking the pill is to talk with health care providers about all the issues of birth control pills and other contraception.
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PMID:There's good news about birth control pills. 1228 49

Modern medicine 1st made the oral contraceptive (OC), a combined OC, available to women in 1960, and much progress in improving OCs and reducing risks associated with them has occurred. Approximately 200 million women have used OCs worldwide and about 60 million women are currently using this contraceptive method. OCs are efficacious because the hormones in the OCs alter the physiology of the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian/uterine axis at 6 sites, e.g., altering the endometrium so implantation of the blastocyst cannot occur. Despite the effectiveness of OCs (virtually 100% effective) in comparison with other contraceptive methods, they often cause side effects and complications. Some side effects and complications from estrogen and predominantly estrogen OCs include vomiting, hypertension, and venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism. Possible progestogen and predominatly progestogen OC side effects and complications are leucorrhea, urinary tract infections, epilepsy aggravation, and cholestatic jaundice. In addition, pregnancy, venous thromboembolism, heart disease, and malignancies of the breast and genital tract are absolute contraindications to OCs. On the other hand, OCs provide health benefits, in addition to preventing unwanted pregnancies, such as lowered incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, acne improvement, and protection against endometrial carcinoma and ovarian epithelial neoplasia. In order to ensure that health benefits of OCs are maximized and the risks minimized, family planning practitioners worldwide must monitor OC users for side effects. Recent OC formulations now include the progestogen only OCs, multiphase OCs, low dose OC called gestodene, and the "morning after pill".
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PMID:Oral steroidal contraception: scientific basis and recent development. 1234 71