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Pulse Pressure and Arterial Compliance Prior to Pregnancy and the Development of Complicated Hypertension During Pregnancy

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Abstract

We examined the relationship between prepregnant pulse pressure (PP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac output (CO)/PP, a measure of arterial compliance, and development of complicated hypertension (CH) during pregnancy with the goal of identifying a potential predictor of CH. Twenty nulliparous participants were studied before pregnancy; 17 had normal pregnancies (control; CTL) and 3 CH. Blood pressure monitoring was performed using tonometry. Cardiac output was determined by Doppler echocardiograph. Data are expressed as mean ± SD. Prepregnant PP was significantly higher in CH participants (CH: 58.3 ± 6.3, CTL: 46.2 ± 1.7 mm Hg; P = .02). Cardiac output /pulse pressure was significantly lower in CH participants (CH: 6.9 ± 1.8, CTL: 10.6 ± 2.8; P = .04). Mean arterial pressure was not significantly different. Increased PP before pregnancy may suggest increased risk for CH. With accurate prediction of CH before pregnancy, initiation of preventative measures could begin earlier, either prior to or in early pregnancy, potentially increasing preventative efficacy and decreasing CH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont, 89 Beaumont Avenue, 05405, Burlington, VT, USA

    Sarah Hale PhD, Martha Choate BS, Adrienne Schonberg RN & Ira M. Bernstein MD

  2. Department of Neurology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA

    Robert Shapiro MD, PhD

  3. Department of Medical Biostatistics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA

    Gary Badger MS

Authors
  1. Sarah Hale PhD
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  2. Martha Choate BS
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  3. Adrienne Schonberg RN
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  4. Robert Shapiro MD, PhD
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  5. Gary Badger MS
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  6. Ira M. Bernstein MD
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Correspondence to Ira M. Bernstein MD.

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Hale, S., Choate, M., Schonberg, A. et al. Pulse Pressure and Arterial Compliance Prior to Pregnancy and the Development of Complicated Hypertension During Pregnancy. Reprod. Sci. 17, 871–877 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719110376545

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