The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7214 p312
7 September 2002

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Circulation (circ.ahajournals.org)

Long-acting contraceptive linked to impaired vascular function

Women who use depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA, Depo-Provera) are at increased risk of impaired arterial function, say researchers. "Long-term use impairs the arteries' ability to contract and expand, possibly increasing the risk for heart disease," they add.

Dr Morten Sørensen, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, and colleagues, measured vascular function in 12 women who used DMPA for at least one year and compared the results with those of nine women who had not. They found that flow-mediated dilatation — an indicator of endothelial function — was significantly reduced in the DMPA users compared with non-users during menstruation (1.1 per cent versus 8.0 per cent, P<0.01). The researchers conclude: "These findings may have clinical implications, in particular with regard to the prevailing recommendation to use DMPA in women with cardiovascular disease."

The study is published as a rapid access article on the Circulation website.

A spokesman for Pharmacia, manufacturer of Depo-Provera told The Journal that over a 20-year period, the Medicines Control Agency had received only 40 reports of thrombotic events while patients were using Depo-Provera. "And in no cases was causality defined," he said. He added that prescribers should consider the risks associated with any medicine, including Depo-Provera, especially for women with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.