Pregnancy is a special time for many women, but it can also bring some health challenges. One of them is high blood pressure, which can affect both the mother and the baby. High blood pressure during pregnancy can cause conditions such as **preeclampsia** and **gestational hypertension**, which are associated with increased risks of complications and poor outcomes.
But the effects of high blood pressure during pregnancy may not end after delivery. According to a recent study, Hispanic women who had high blood pressure during pregnancy had more than doubled changes in their heart structure and function compared to those who did not. These changes, which are known as cardiac remodeling, can increase the risk of developing heart disease and heart failure later in life.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analyzed data from 507 Hispanic women who participated in the Echocardiographic Study of Latinos (ECHO-SOL), a large community-based study of cardiovascular health among Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States. The researchers measured the women's blood pressure and performed echocardiograms, which are ultrasound tests that show how the heart is working.
The results showed that 18% of the women had a history of high blood pressure during pregnancy, either preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. These women had significantly higher blood pressure, body mass index, and prevalence of diabetes and metabolic syndrome than those who did not have high blood pressure during pregnancy. They also had worse cardiac function and structure, such as thicker heart walls, larger heart chambers, and lower pumping efficiency.
The researchers adjusted for these factors and found that having high blood pressure during pregnancy was still independently associated with a 2.2-fold increase in the odds of having cardiac remodeling. This means that high blood pressure during pregnancy may have a direct impact on the heart, regardless of other risk factors.
However, high blood pressure during pregnancy is not the only risk factor for heart disease. Other factors that can affect your heart health include:
- Family history of heart disease
- Age
- Smoking
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Stress
- Poor diet
What is the difference between preeclampsia and gestational hypertension?
Preeclampsia and gestational hypertension are both conditions that involve high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy. However, they have some key differences:
- Preeclampsia also involves protein in your urine, which indicates kidney damage. Gestational hypertension does not have protein in your urine.
- Preeclampsia usually presents with symptoms such as swelling, blurry vision, trouble breathing, and headaches. Gestational hypertension rarely has any symptoms other than high blood pressure.
- Preeclampsia can be life-threatening to both the mother and the baby if left untreated. It can cause organ damage, seizures, stroke, placental abruption, and fetal growth restriction. Gestational hypertension can cause low birth weight or preterm birth in severe cases, but it usually does not harm the mother or the baby.
The study is one of the first to examine the long-term effects of high blood pressure during pregnancy on cardiac remodeling among Hispanic women, who are a diverse and understudied population. The findings suggest that Hispanic women who have had high blood pressure during pregnancy may benefit from early screening and prevention strategies to reduce their risk of developing heart disease and heart failure in the future.
If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, it is important to monitor your blood pressure and follow your doctor's advice on how to keep it under control. Some tips to lower your blood pressure include:
- Eating a healthy diet that is low in salt, saturated fat, and added sugars
- Exercising regularly, as recommended by your doctor
- Avoiding smoking and alcohol
- Managing stress and getting enough sleep
- Taking medication if prescribed by your doctor
High blood pressure during pregnancy can have serious consequences for both you and your baby. But by taking care of yourself and your heart, you can have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy future.
- High blood pressure during pregnancy
- Heart disease risk
- Hispanic women
- Preeclampsia
- Gestational hypertension
- Cardiac remodeling
- Echocardiographic Study of Latinos
- Cardiovascular health
- United States
- Blood pressure measurement
- Body mass index
- Diabetes prevalence
- Metabolic syndrome prevalence
- Cardiac function
- Heart structure
- Thicker heart walls
- Larger heart chambers
- Pumping efficiency
- Risk factors
- Family history
- Age factor
- Smoking effects
- High cholesterol risks
- Diabetes impact
- Obesity concerns
- Physical inactivity effects
- Stress implications
- Poor diet consequences
