CEU response to published study: COC and risk of PE, CVA and MI
Date: 04 Jul 2016
Type: FSRH Clinical Guidance and Clinical Statements
Author: FSRH CEU
This statement is a CEU response to a study published in the BMJ titled Low dose oestrogen combined oral contraception and risk of pulmonary embolism, stroke, and myocardial infarction in five million French women: cohort study.
A recent study, Low dose oestrogen combined oral contraception and risk of pulmonary embolism, stroke, and myocardial infarction in five million French women: cohort study (Weill et al, 2016), published in the BMJ suggests that (1) the risk of PE is lower in women using a combined oral contraceptive (COC) containing assesses risk of pulmonary embolism (PE), ischaemic stroke (CVA) and myocardial infarction (MI) with use of different low dose combined oral contraceptives (COC).
This statement provides a critical assessment of the study and advises that the findings of the study must be interpreted with caution. Current FSRH guidelines provide a framework for safe COC prescribing so that use of COC by women with significant risk factors for vascular thrombotic events can be avoided.
Read the statement in full below.