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Elevated prolactin levels in oral contraceptive pill-related hypertension

1981; Elsevier BV; Volume: 35; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0015-0282(16)45432-4

1556-5653

Pentti Lehtovirta, TAPIO RANTA, Markku Seppälä,

Sexual function and dysfunction studies

Twenty women whose blood pressure became elevated during oral contraceptive treatment had higher serum prolactin levels (31 +/- 5.3 microgram/liter) than did 20 normotensive pill takers (16.1 +/- 1.8 microgram/liter) and 20 women who were not taking the pill (14 +/- 1.1 microgram/liter), and the higher level was maintained (30 +/- 3.5 microgram/liter) after the pill was discontinued and blood pressure had become normal. This increase in prolactin levels was not related to differences in age or mode of treatment, and it is thought to reflect an alteration in dopaminergic transmission in patients with pill-related hypertension.Serum prolactin levels were examined in women with pill-associated hypertension since changes in serum prolactin levels also reflect changes in transmission of dopamine. 20 women whose blood pressure elevated during use of oral contraceptives had higher serum prolactin levels than did 20 normotensive pill users (31 vs. 16 mcgm per liter) and 20 nonpill users (14 mcgm); the correlation of elevated arterial pressure with elevated prolactin was P.005. After the pill was discontinued, the blood pressure of each hypertensive woman dropped to normal range by the end of the first posttreatment cycle; however, the serum prolactin levels continued to be higher than those of normotensive pill users and those of nonpill users. In 1 patient an elevated prolactin level persisted after 12 months of nontreatment (50 mcgm/liter). This increase in serum prolactin level was unrelated to age differences or mode of treatment; hence, it was thought to reflect an alteration in dopaminergic transmission in patients with oral contraceptive-related hypertension.