Is there an association between myocardial infarction and the combined oral contraceptive pill (OCP)?
Second generation combined OCPs may very slightly increase the risk of myocardial infarction whereas third generation combined OCP are associated with a reduced risk. One must realize, however, that myocardial infarction (MI) is a rare disorder among young women. The incidence of Ml among young women in Canada is: • 1: 100,000 per year at age 20 • 2: 100,000 per year at age 30 • 9: 100,000 per year at age 40 For women not at increased MI risk, the likelihood of MI should not be a deterrent to the use of combined OCPs, nor a reason to change from an otherwise satisfactory product. Smoking alone independently increases the risk of acute myocardial infarction by about 5 to 10 times.
