title: Effects of two contraceptives containing drospirenone on blood pressure in normotensive women: a randomized-controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Drospirenone (DRSP) is a progestogen derived from spironolactone with antimineralocorticoid action that seems to exert a favorable effect on blood pressure (BP); however, when associated with ethinylestradiol (EE), this effect does not seem to occur. This study aimed to assess possible differences in BP associated with the use of combined oral contraceptives containing DRSP with different doses of EE.
  
  
  METHODS
  This open-label parallel-group randomized clinical trial involved women randomized to use either 30 mcg of EE+DRSP (n=22) or 20 mcg of EE+DRSP (n=22). Daytime, nighttime, and 24-h BP were evaluated by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring at the beginning of the trial and 6 months after drug therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics. The mean 24-h systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were similar between the groups before and after treatment (P>0.05). With respect to day and nighttime systolic blood pressure and DBP, no statistically significant difference was observed in BP values between the two groups either before or after treatment, except for the daytime DBP in the 30EE+DRSP group. In this group, a decrease of 2 mmHg (3%) in daytime DBP was observed after 6 months of drug therapy (P=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no difference in BP associated with the use of combined oral contraceptives containing DRSP irrespective of the EE dose used.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical School of Ribeirao Preto bDepartment of Internal Medicine, Medical School of Ribeirao Preto, Cardiology Division, University of São Paulo cNational Institute of Hormones and Women's Health, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariane N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: de Nadai
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nobre
authors.forename: Rui A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ferriani
authors.forename: Carolina S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Vieira
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000736:Androstenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000736:Androstenes; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; C534342:drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol combination; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol