Cardiovascular effects of preeclampsia

Preeclampsia complicates 3-5% of first and 15% of subsequent pregnancies. This study reviews the evidence of increase cardiovascular risk in these women.

Women with preeclampsia are at two-fold higher risk for development of coronary artery disease, stroke and death, and four-fold increased risk of heart failure. Preeclampsia developed in early part of pregnancy confers greater risk than later in pregnancy. Common factors that predispose women to preeclampsia also confer high risk for developing cardiovascular disease include obesity, metabolic abnormalities, dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, heightened inflammatory responses, hypercoagulable states and endothelia dysfunction.

Patients with preeclampsia should be screened at regular intervals by a preventive cardiologist and treated accordingly.