Investigation of the Relationship between Myocardial Infarction, Angina Pectoris, and Venous Thrombosis and Some Risk Factors in the Women Suffering from Cardiovascular Diseases with a History of Contraceptive Pills Consumption

Background: Cardiovascular diseases have various etiologies. Previous studies have come to contradictory results regarding the effects of Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCPs) on the risk of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and venous thrombosis. Thus, further investigation is required in this area.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between cardiovascular diseases and some risk factors in the women with a history of contraceptive pills consumption.

Patients and Methods: The present case-control study was conducted on 317 women with cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and deep venous thrombosis) selected through simple purposive sampling from CCU, ICU, post-ICU, and neurology departments of Nemazee, Faghihi, and Al-Zahra heart hospitals. Also, 371 controls were selected among 20 – 60 year-old women without cardiac diseases. The data were collected through questionnaires, interviewing the patients and their first-degree relatives, and the patients’ medical records. The main variables studied in both groups included the history of OCPs consumption, weight gain, blood sugar level, and hypertension. Then, the data were analyzed using chi-square test, correlation coefficient, and odds ratio. Besides, P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results: The mean age of the study population was 49.2 ± 13.4 years. Besides, 10.6%, 4%, and 2.7% of the women had used OCPs for 6 - 10, 11 - 15, and more than 16 years, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of history of using OCPs (47.3% vs. 51.5%, P = 0.8). In addition, no significant relationship was observed between consumption of OCPs and incidence of myocardial infarction (P = 0.202), angina pectoris (P = 0.260), and thrombosis (P = 0.389). However, a significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the frequency of hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: The results showed no significant association between the use of OCPs and cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, other risk factors of cardiovascular diseases were higher among the patients with a history of contraceptive pills consumption.