What is the most important information I should know about Ortho Evra?
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious heart-related side effects (stroke, heart attack, blood clots, etc.) in women who use hormonal contraceptives. This risk increases with heavy smoking (15 or more cigarettes per day) and with age. There is an especially significant increase in heart disease risk in women over 35 years old who smoke and use hormonal birth control. Therefore, women who use Ortho Evra are strongly advised not to smoke. Hormonal contraceptives, including Ortho Evra, should be used with caution if you are over 40 years old; smoke tobacco; have liver, heart, gallbladder, or kidney disease; have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or epilepsy; or tend to be seriously overweight. Caution is also advised if you have blood circulation problems or have had a heart attack or stroke in the past. Be cautious, too, if you have problems with depression, migraine or other headaches, irregular menstrual periods, or visual disturbances. There have been conflicti
