Wedoany.com Report on Feb 9th, A recent study published in the journal JAMA Network Open explored the impact of hormonal contraceptives on women's cardiovascular health, with a particular focus on women suffering from anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study's senior author is Dr. Antonia Seligowski from the Laboratory for the Neuro-Cardiac Effects of Stress and Trauma in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, claiming over 400,000 lives annually. Stress is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and stress-related mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD are more common among women. Experts point out that more attention needs to be paid to gender-specific factors affecting women's cardiovascular health, including the use of hormonal contraceptives.
Approximately 9.1 million women in the United States use hormonal contraceptives. These medications work by introducing exogenous hormones and suppressing the body's natural levels of estradiol and progesterone. Previous research has primarily focused on young, healthy women, leaving limited understanding of how hormonal contraceptives affect cardiovascular risk in women with stress-related mental disorders. This study is the first to systematically investigate the combined impact of hormonal contraceptives and stress-related disorders on cardiovascular and thrombotic risk.
The research team analyzed the medical records of 31,824 women participating in the Massachusetts General Hospital Brigham and Women's Hospital Biobank. Researchers identified diagnoses of stress-related disorders, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and deep vein thrombosis using medical codes, while also recording prescription information for hormonal contraceptives.
The study found that for most women, including those with a history of anxiety or depression, the use of hormonal contraceptives was associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. However, this protective association was not observed in women with PTSD. The lead researcher stated, "These preliminary findings suggest there may be differences in cardiovascular risk among women using hormonal contraceptives, particularly for those with PTSD."
If follow-up research can confirm these results, clinicians may need to consider the influence of stress-related mental disorders when discussing hormonal contraceptive options with patients. The research team plans to conduct clinical studies to gather new data on the relationship between specific hormonal contraceptive formulations and cardiovascular disease risk factors, including indicators such as blood pressure, vascular endothelial function, and blood coagulation markers.
