| Abstract | Women's risk for heart disease sharply increases after menopause, which has been attributed to altered hormone levels after menopause. These hormones, estradiol and progesterone, are also found in oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptives' greatest area of influence on the cardiovascular system may be on the endothelium, a single layer of cells that forms the inner lining of every blood vessel. Endothelial function is quantified by flow-mediated dilation, which measures brachial artery dilation under shear stress. Salivary biomarkers estradiol, nitrate, progesterone, and testosterone indicate levels to compare with vascular endothelial function. The experimental group of women taking oral contraceptives had higher estradiol levels, but lower NO levels. However, the control group of women not taking oral contraceptives experienced greater percent change in FMD. While these findings do not correlate with existing literature, future research is needed to further explore oral contraceptives as they relate to female cardiovascular health. |
