title: Blood pressure effects of the oral contraceptive and postmenopausal hormone therapies.
abstract: Oral contraceptives and postmenopausal hormone therapy may induce hypertension through multiple mechanisms, including sodium and volume retention. Numerous studies have shown significant increases in blood pressure (BP) with the chronic administration of oral contraceptives as well as reversibility with discontinuation. The effects of different classes of oral contraceptive agents and hormonal replacement therapy on BP and associated effects on other cardiovascular risk factors are covered in this article. Novel hormonal replacement therapy that lowers BP is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boldo
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride