Hypertension in pregnancy: A comprehensive update

Belinda Jim, Shuchita Sharma, Tewabe Kebede, Anjali Acharya

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

67 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancies remain a central public health concern throughout the world, and are a major cause of maternal mortality in the developing world. Although treatment options have not significantly changed in recent years, insight on the pathogenesis of preeclampsia/eclampsia has been remarkable. With improved animal models of preeclampsia and large-scale human trials, we have embarked upon a new era where angiogenic biomarkers based on mechanism of disease can be designed to assist in early diagnosis and treatment. There is also a growing recognition of how elusive the diagnosis of eclampsia can be, especially in the postpartum period. Proper treatment of these patients depends heavily on the correct diagnosis, especially by the emergency physician. Finally, large epidemiologic studies have revealed that preeclampsia, once thought to be a self-limited entity, now appears to portend real damage to the cardiovascular and other organ systems in the long term. This review will present the latest update on our understanding of the various hypertensive disorders of pregnancies and their treatment options.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)178-189
Number of pages12
JournalCardiology in Review
Volume18
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Eclampsia
  • Preeclampsia
  • Pregnancy

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Hypertension in pregnancy: A comprehensive update'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this