Effects of three different combinations of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel on plasma lipids and high density lipoproteins.

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Larsson-Cohn U, Wallentin L, Zador G

Effects of three different combinations of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel on plasma lipids and high density lipoproteins.

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand Suppl. 1979;88:57-60.

PubMed ID

230693 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

Seventy-five menstruating women seeking contraceptive advice were randomly allocated to treatment with combined oral contraceptives containing either ethinyl estradiol 30 micrograms + levonorgestrel 150 micrograms (30/150), ethinyl estradiol 50 micrograms + levonorgestrel 125 micrograms (50/125) or ethinyl estradiol 50 micrograms + levonorgestrel 250 micrograms (50/250). The concentrations of cholesterol, phospholipids, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, HDL-phospholipids and triglycerides were determined prior to treatment and after one, three and six months of medication. Triglycerides increased by 18--42 per cent after one to six months of treatment with 50/125. The HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipids were reduced by 10 per cent during 50/250 medication. No other parameters showed any consistent alteration in any of the treatment groups. Raised triglyceride concentration and/or decreased HDL concentration may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. It is therefore suggested that in order not to alter the HDL concentration a combined oral contraceptive agent should probably not contain more 19-nortestosterone type of progestogen than corresponding to 125--150 micrograms of levonorgestrel. To avoid a rise of the triglyceride level the weight relation between levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol should be about 5:1.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Pharmaco-metabolomics

Drug	Drug Groups	Metabolite	Change	Description
Levonorgestrel	Approved Investigational	HDL cholesterol	decreased	Levonorgestrel decreases the level of HDL cholesterol in the blood
Levonorgestrel	Approved Investigational	Triglycerides	increased	Levonorgestrel increases the level of Triglycerides in the blood