More research is needed on the pathogenesis of arterial disease in women of reproductive age.
The effect of the use of steroid contraceptives by women with diabetes on their risk of cardiovascular disease needs to be studied, perhaps using surrogate end-points. More epidemiological research about the risks of cardiovascular disease among users of combined oral contraceptives in developing countries is required because current conclusions about the effects of the various formulations are based on only one study which finished data collection in 1993. Many developing countries, moreover, are experiencing rapid changes in the prevalence of risk factors that affect the incidence of cardiovascular disease. The effects of different oral contraceptives on endothelial function requires study. This might involve measuring plasma levels of biological markers of endothelial function as well as using non-invasive techniques in human subjects.