Vascular complications in women using the low steroid content combined oral contraceptive pills: case reports and review of the literature
Frohlich, E.P.
Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey 45(9): 578-584
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-7828 PMID: 2204850 DOI: 10.1097/00006254-199009000-00003Document Number: 372106
5 cases of vascular complications--hemorrhagic stroke, myocardial infarction, retinal vein thrombosis, thrombotic stroke and deep vein thrombosis--in young women taking low dose oral contraceptives are described from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. The hemorrhagic stroke occurred in 1987 in a 24-year old heavy smoker taking Triphasil (Wyeth) for 12 months. She recovered fully. A 34-year old woman had an anteroseptal infarction while on Minovlar ED (Schering, 50 mcg ethinyl estradiol and 1 mg norethisterone acetate) for 2 years. She had no risk factors other than smoking 5 cigarettes daily. The woman with retinal vein thrombosis had 2 episodes, the 1st while taking Restovar 28 (Organon, 37.5 mcg ethinyl estradiol and 0.75 mg lynestrenol) for 7 years. 19 months later she began Diane (Schering AG, 50 mcg ethinyl estradiol and 2 mg cyproterone acetate) and had a bilateral retinal vein thrombosis leaving her partially blind. The woman with thrombotic stroke was 24 when she was struck in 1986, after 1 year of taking Logynon ED (Schering AG, 6/5/7 days, 30,40/40 mcg ethinyl estradiol and o.5/0.75/0.125 mg levonorgestrel). The patient with deep vein thrombosis was 19, smoked, and had used Triphasil for 2.5 years.