Pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis related to oral contraceptive use

ABSTRACT

Pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious medical problem causing considerable morbidity and mortality. Risk factors of thrombosis are surgery, trauma, pregnancy, tumor, oral contraceptive as well as genetic risk factors though genetic risk factors were found in about 5% to 10% of cases. Yasmin, a combined oral contraceptive containing ethinylestradiol 30 microg and drospirenon 3 mg was launched in the United Kingdom in 2002. We had experienced a patient, 24-year-old young woman with left inguinal pain on ambulation, and edema of left leg four months after taking Yasmin. We performed chest pulmonary angiography computed tomography (CT) and lower extremity venogram CT. She was diagnosed to PE in both lower lobes and DVT below the level of left external iliac vein, and treated by low molecular weight heparin and warfarin. We report this case with brief review of literatures.