title: The relationship between calcium intake and pregnancy-induced hypertension: up-to-date evidence.
abstract: In 1980 we pointed to a relationship between calcium intake and pregnancy-induced hypertension. The original epidemiologic observations showed an inverse association between calcium intake and incidence of eclampsia after adjusting by several confounding factors. A series of recent randomized clinical trials have demonstrated a reduction in blood pressure with calcium supplementation in animals, in healthy and mildly hypertensive subjects, and in pregnant women. It is hypothesized that parathyroid hormone plays a role since it is affected by calcium intake and can partially regulate the concentration of free cytosolic ionized calcium, thus triggering smooth muscle contraction. Randomized clinical trials showing a reduction in the incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension with calcium supplementation have not as yet been published. However, preliminary observations appear to support this hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales, Argentina.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Belizán
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Repke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D002118:Calcium