title: Pre-eclampsia: a hypothesis for its etiology.
abstract: A hypothesis is presented according to which the etiology of pregnancy-induced hypertension can be attributed to increased number of active uterine and arteriolar alpha-adrenergic myometrial receptors from pre-eclamptic patients in comparison with the alpha-adrenergic myometrial and arteriolar receptors from non-pre-eclamptic patients. This condition could result in the increased uterine wall irritability and the decreased uteroplacental blood flow in pre-eclampsia. It is suggested that progesterone fails to induce a reduction in alpha 1-adrenergic receptors in the pre-eclamptic patient. This will require pre-eclamptic patients and matched controls to test the hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk 23501.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009215:Myometrium / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014661:Vasoconstriction
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D002118:Calcium