[Hypertension and pregnancy].

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Cardiology
• Public Health

Context:

• Hypertension in pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia, is an under-recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• Women with a history of hypertensive pregnancies exhibit a higher risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and a less favorable CVD risk profile.
• Shared risk factors (obesity, diabetes, renal disease) and potential long-term vascular/metabolic changes link hypertensive disorders of pregnancy to later CVD.

Purpose:

• To highlight the association between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and long-term cardiovascular disease risk.
• To emphasize the lack of specific risk-reduction interventions for women with a history of hypertensive pregnancies.
• To advocate for the inclusion of hypertensive pregnancy history in CVD risk assessments.

Summary:

• Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are linked to an increased long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• This association may stem from shared risk factors or pregnancy-induced abnormalities.
• Current evidence for targeted risk-reduction interventions is limited.

Impact:

• Highlights the need for screening hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in CVD risk assessments.
• Underscores the importance of close monitoring for conventional CVD risk factors in affected women.
• Calls for adherence to evidence-based guidelines for managing these risk factors.