title: Cardiovascular response to stress and perceived stress is not altered 40 years after hypertensive pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Women experiencing hypertensive pregnancies have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Whether stress increase the risk is unknown. The objective was to test if cardiovascular response to stress and/or perceived stress differed in relation to blood pressure status during pregnancy 40 years earlier.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cardiovascular response was examined with mental stress test, and perceived stress was evaluated with a questionnaire in 105 women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Resting heart rate was higher, and pulse reactivity was lower in women with previous hypertensive pregnancies. Neither blood pressure nor perceived stress differed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Response to physical or psychological stress is not affected many years after pregnancy.
authors: Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine/Cardiology, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Gothenburg , Sweden .
authors: Anna-Clara
authors: AC
authors: Collén
authors: Helena
authors: H
authors: Gustafsson
authors: Margareta
authors: M
authors: Hellgren
authors: Linus
authors: L
authors: Schiöler
authors: Louise
authors: L
authors: Bexander
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Manhem
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Cardiovascular reactivity; Follow-up; Hypertension; Perceived stress; Pregnancy