Hypertension in Pregnancy Flashcards
How common is hypertension in pregnancy?
Affects 10-15% of all pregnancies = 14% of maternal deaths due to hypertension
What is the most common cause of iatrogenic prematurity?
Pre-eclampsia
What are some CVS changes that occur during pregnancy?
Plasma volume increases by 45% Cardiac output increases by 30-50% Stroke volume increases by 25% Heart rate increases by 15-25% Peripheral vascular resistance decreases by 15-20%
What is needed to make a diagnosis of hypertension?
BP >= 140/90 mmHg on two occasions
What are some reasons for hypertension during pregnancy?
Pre-existing hypertension, pregnancy induced hypertension or pre-eclampsia
When is pre-existing hypertension likely?
If hypertension occurs in early pregnancy
May be retrospective diagnosis if BP hasn’t returned to normal after 3 months post-delivery
What are the risks associated with pre-existing hypertension?
Pre-eclampsia (x2), IUGR, abruption
When does pregnancy-induced hypertension usually present?
In second half of pregnancy = resolves within 6 weeks of delivery
What are the features of pregnancy-induced hypertension?
No proteinuria or other features of pre-eclampsia
15% progress to pre-eclampsia
High rate of recurrence
What are the symptoms of pre-eclampsia?
Hypertension, proteinuria (>=0.3 g/L), oedema
May be asymptomatic at time of first presentation
What occurs in pre-eclampsia?
Diffuse vascular endothelial dysfunction with widespread circulatory disturbance due to placental ischaemia
What are the two types of pre-eclampsia?
Early = <34 weeks gestation Late = >=34 weeks gestation
What are some features of early pre-eclampsia?
Uncommon = 12% of all pre-eclampsia
Associated with extensive villous and placental lesions
Higher rat of complications than late type
What are some features of late pre-eclampsia?
Majority of pre-eclampsia = 88% Minimal placental lesions Maternal factors (e.g hypertension) have important role
How does having a first degree relative affected by pre-eclampsia increase risk?
3x higher risk if mother or sister has pre-eclampsia
20-25% higher if mother, up to 40% if sister
How do genetic and environmental factors lead to pre-eclampsia?
Create conditions leading to defective deep placentation
What are the stages of pre-eclampsia?
1 = abnormal placental perfusion causing placental ischaemia 2 = maternal syndrome, anti-angiogenic state associated with endothelial dysfunction
What causes failure of normal vascular remodelling in pre-eclampsia?
Abnormal placentation and trophoblast invasion = spiral arteries fail to adapt to become high capitance-low resistance vessels
What does endothelial activation cause in pre-eclampsia?
Increased capillary permeability, expression of CAM, prothrombotic factors and platelet aggregation
What do VEGF and TGF-beta1 do in a normal pregnancy?
They maintain endothelial health
What do sFlt1 and sEng do?
Antagonise VEGF and TGF-beta1 = secreted in excess in PE, cause imbalance between angiogenic and anti-antiangiogenic factors
What systems are affected by pre-eclampsia?
CNS, renal, hepatic, pulmonary, placental, CV and haematological
How can pre-eclampsia affect the hepatic system?
Epigastic/RUG pain, abnormal liver enzymes, hepatic capsule rupture, HELLP syndrome
What are the features of HELLP syndrome?
Haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets
What are some feature of placental disease cause by pre-eclampsia?
Foetal growth restriction, placental abruption, intrauterine death
What are the symptoms of pre-eclampsia?
Headache, visual disturbance, epigastic/RUQ pain, nausea and vomiting, rapidly progressive oedema