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Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity Cf-PWV to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness
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Arterial stiffness and wave reflection 1 year after a pregnancy complicated by hypertension

Deborah B Ehrenthal1, Neal D Goldstein, Pan Wu

  • 1Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE; Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA.

Journal of Clinical Hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.)
|August 14, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are linked to later cardiovascular disease (CVD). One year postpartum, women with HDP showed increased blood pressure and arterial stiffness, suggesting potential endothelial dysfunction.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are recognized risk factors for future cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • Understanding the early postpartum vascular changes after HDP is crucial for CVD risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between HDP and cardiovascular parameters, specifically blood pressure and arterial stiffness, one year postpartum.
  • To identify potential markers of endothelial dysfunction following HDP.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 74 women (33 with HDP, 41 with uncomplicated pregnancies) were assessed one year postpartum.
  • Applanation tonometry was used to measure blood pressure (BP), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), and augmentation index (AIx).

Main Results:

  • Women with a history of HDP exhibited higher systolic blood pressure (P<.01) at one year postpartum.
  • While not statistically significant, there was a trend towards increased cfPWV (P=.09) and AIx (P=.09) in the HDP group.
  • After covariate adjustment, a significantly greater AIx (P<.05) persisted in the HDP group, indicating impaired arterial function.

Conclusions:

  • Reduced endothelial function may be detectable one year after hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
  • Arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction could play a role in the long-term cardiovascular risk associated with HDP.
  • Larger prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings and elucidate the progression of CVD post-HDP.

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