Abstract

PIP: The case report of a 27-year-old woman who had been normotensive before her 1st pregnancy 6 years earlier is presented. At 2 months postdelivery she began taking estro-progesterone. She was given Enidrel R (norethynodrel 4.925 mg, mestranol .075 mg) for 18 months and then Ovariostat (lynestrenol 2.5 mg, mestranol .075 mg). Her blood pressure was not recorded until 2 years later when it was 180 mm Hg systolic. Contraceptive therapy was then stopped. A month later pregnancy occurred. At that time her blood pressure was 120 mm Hg. The delivery was normal. 4 months later she began taking Ovariostat again. Headaches soon developed and her blood pressure was found to be 270/150 mm Hg. On admission to the hospital 3 weeks later her blood pressure was 250/100 mm Hg. Renal failure was present. Creatinine clearance was 12 ml/minute. No cause for this hypertension was found. 1 month later hypertension was 210/160 mm Ha. Retinal hemorrhaging had lessened but azotemia persisted. Heart failure and oliguria followed. Dialysis was done weekly. A bilateral nephrectomy was done. Microscopic study of renal tissue showed malignant nephroangiosclerosis. After 10 days her blood pressure was 150/100 mm Hg. Her general condition improved. A salt-free diet was prescribed. Blood pressure subsided to 140/80 mm Hg before dialysis. A renal graft was done and 10 months later blood pressure was normal. These hypertensions are usually benign and subside when the contraceptive therapy is discontinued. When estrogen-progesterones are prescribed, blood pressures should be recorded frequently and therapy stopped if hypertension arises.