title: Blood pressure during pregnancy is a useful predictive maker for hypertension and dyslipidemia later in life, a population-based, cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pregnancy is an opportunity for women to become aware of their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), because physiologic responses to dynamic hemodynamic changes can be observed during pregnancy. Accordingly, we hypothesized that blood pressure levels during pregnancy may be associated with the risk of CVD later in life.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the Iwaki Health Promotion Project and designed a population-based, cross-sectional study. In this study, Maternity Health Record Books were collected from women over 40 years of age in order to obtain reliable data regarding past pregnancies. Of a total of 642 women, 432 were selected according to the study criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The associations between blood pressure levels during pregnancy and major CVD risk factors (hypertension and dyslipidemia) were analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 10 mmHg increase in the mean diastolic blood pressure level between gestational weeks 12 and 42 conferred a 1.70- and 1.55-fold increase in the risk of hypertension and dyslipidemia, respectively, in later life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood pressure levels during pregnancy may be associated with CVD risk and could therefore be a useful predictive marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu Hirosaki, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8562, Japan. Electronic address: iino-ka@hirosaki-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iino
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Depertment of Disability and Health, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-66 Honcho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8203, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Department of Health Promotion, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-66 Honcho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8203, Japan.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Department of Health Promotion, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-66 Honcho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8203, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Department of Health Promotion, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-66 Honcho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8203, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Misaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu Hirosaki, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Social Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8354, Japan.
authors.forename: Ippei
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu Hirosaki, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizunuma
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Dyslipidemia; Hypertension; Pregnancy