Contraceptive pills may cause high BP

Washington: Long term exposure to estrogen, which is found in oral contraceptives, can cause high blood pressure.

Doctors have traditionally believed the estrogen women consume as oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy pills is good for hearts.

Recent studies, however, have shown that long-term exposure to estrogen can be a danger to women for its link with high blood pressure, which can lead to heart and brain attacks.

Although it is unclear how estrogen causes high BP in females, Michigan State University researchers have found that long-term estrogen exposure generates excessive levels of a compound that leads to stress.

This was reported by the American Journal of Physiology.

The study also found that the anti-oxidant resveratrol reverses the increase in both superoxide and blood pressure.

PS Mohan Kumar of Michigan State, who led the study, said: "This is an important study on at least two levels. First, it continues to confirm the negative effect that long-term estrogen exposure has for females. Second, it provides a new rationale for how and why this relationship occurs."

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