Three months use of third-generation oral contraceptives does not affect artery wall properties

In several studies, artery wall properties have been shown to differ between men and women. It has been hypothesized that these differences may result from hormonal influences but, in a previous study, we were unable to detect any influence of the menstrual cycle on artery wall properties. Therefore, we investigated the differences in artery wall properties, if any, between the menstrual cycle and the use of a third-generation oral contraceptive for 3 months. We investigated the right common carotid (CCA) and femoral (CFA) arteries of normotensive young (18-25-y-old) women volunteers (n = 14). The arterial cross-sectional distensibility and compliance coefficients were determined by means of a specially designed ultrasonic wall-tracking device and automatic brachial artery cuff blood-pressure measurements. The menstrual cycles and the cycles during oral contraceptive use (30 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene) were monitored by ultrasonographic evaluation and the assessment of plasma levels of 17beta-oestradiol and progesterone. The distensibility and cross-sectional compliance coefficients of both the CCA and CFA did not differ significantly between the menstrual cycle and the use of oral contraceptives, despite different ovarian hormone levels. Brachial arterial blood pressure was also not affected. We conclude that 3 months use of a third-generation oral contraceptive does not influence the wall properties of peripheral arteries and cannot explain the observed difference between genders. The absence of a rise in blood pressure and the low androgenic profile of this specific oral contraceptive may have contributed to our findings.