title: Echocardiographic assessment of cardiovascular hemodynamics in preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess maternal cardiovascular function using echocardiography in normal and preeclamptic women in the third trimester of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 subjects, 20 with preeclampsia and 20 normotensive controls with >34 weeks gestation and singleton pregnancy were recruited. Baseline characteristics, maternal and fetal outcome were studied with systolic and diastolic parameters on echocardiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following parameters were higher in preeclamptic subjects as compared to normotensive controls-mean cardiac output (66.85 ± 4.56 ml/min vs. 56.1 ± 1.77 ml/min); mean LV diastolic mass (131.15 ± 16.85 vs. 104.90 ± 23.17 g); systolic mass (88.5 ± 7.34 vs. 83.33 ± 23.84 g); total vascular resistance (1396.85 ± 150.2 vs. 1204.5 ± 71.182 dyne, s cm(5)). Women with preeclampsia delivered smaller babies (2410 ± 426.16 g) as compared to normotensive controls (2895 ± 276.20 g). Student 't' test was used as a test of significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with preeclampsia have significant systolic and diastolic dysfunction compared to normotensive controls. Blood pressure monitoring alone is insufficient to identify effectively, risk of cardiovascular complications in these subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Government Medical College, Baroda, India.
authors.forename: Rizwana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solanki
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maitra