The results found that women who had used the pills had an unexpected increase in the presence of artery-clogging plaque in key blood vessels in the heart and legs. This was especially true for the ones who had consumed high-estrogen ones sold decades ago.
The risk of blood clots was largest in women who smoked but it disappeared once they go off the pill. However, plaque deposits that raise the risk of heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral artery disease continue to build up for decades after a woman stops taking the pill, WebMD reports.
However, scientists still believe that plaque build up doesn't guarantee a heart attack or stroke; it just raises your risk.
About 100 million women worldwide are currently on the pill, according to the World Health Organization. Most combine synthetic estrogen and progestin in various doses.
Previous studies have shown that birth control pills carry a small risk of blood clots and high blood pressure for women. Any additional heart attack or stroke risk is thought to be related to those two effects.
Researcher Ernst Rietzschel, MD, of Ghent University in Ghent, Belgium said, "This the first time we have documented that more atherosclerosis [plaque buildup] is a long-term risk of pill use."
Scientists also advised women not to discontinue the use of birth control pill for fear of heart disease but instead should follow guidelines for their use. They should also avoid other things that raise heart risks, like smoking, being overweight, and not exercising.
The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association on Tuesday in Florida.
