Hypertension in pregnancy and women of childbearing age.
Hypertension in women of childbearing age is a challenging medical problem with increasing prevalence. Essential hypertension remains the most common diagnosis in young women. Reproductive goals and possible teratogenic effects must be considered when initiating therapy. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are frequent causes of maternal/fetal morbidity and mortality, the most common being preeclampsia/eclampsia. Pregnant patients should be screened routinely. Early recognition and prompt care from a multidisciplinary service, including obstetrics, cardiology, and intensive medicine, are required to prevent deleterious outcomes. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy reflect endometrial endothelial dysfunction/abnormalities and systemic endothelial dysfunction, which might predict future cardiovascular disease in these young women, prompting early preventive measures.
Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiology Division, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 4642-8679, USA.
Scott R
SR
Yoder
Loralei L
LL
Thornburg
John D
JD
Bisognano
D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents