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Association between pregnancy-related hypertension and severity of hypertension

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 23, pages 415–419 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Hypertension in pregnancy is an emerging sex-specific risk factor for cardiovascular disease and may lead to more severe hypertension after pregnancy. The objectives of this study were to investigate the frequency of pregnancy-related hypertension among patients referred to a hypertension clinic and its association with the severity of hypertension and evidence of end-organ damage. In this cross-sectional study, women with hypertension were submitted to a systematic clinical evaluation. The occurrence of pregnancy-related hypertension was investigated by questionnaire. The association between pregnancy-related hypertension and severity of hypertension (stage 2 according to Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC VII)) and end-organ damage was assessed in a logistic regression model. The mean age, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) of the 768 women examined were 51.6±12.7 years, 158.2±26.6 mm Hg, 93.8±14.3 mm Hg and 29.4±5.6 kg/m2, respectively. The proportion of women with pregnancy-related hypertension was 32.9%. It was significantly associated with hypertension at stage 2 (OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.14–2.24; P=0.01) after controlling for confounders. The occurrence of a pregnancy-related hypertension was not associated with evidence of optic fundi abnormalities, left ventricular hypertrophy or abnormalities in kidney function. In conclusion, pregnancy-related hypertension is frequent in women referred to a hypertension clinic, and is associated with severe hypertension but not with evidence of end-organ damage.

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Acknowledgements

This study was partially funded by CNPq and FAPERGS, Brazil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    L B Moreira

  2. Division of Cardiology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    M Gus, G Nunes, C B C Gonçalves, J Martins, M Wiehe & F D Fuchs

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  1. L B Moreira
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  2. M Gus
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  3. G Nunes
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  4. C B C Gonçalves
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  5. J Martins
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  6. M Wiehe
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  7. F D Fuchs
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Correspondence to L B Moreira.

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Moreira, L., Gus, M., Nunes, G. et al. Association between pregnancy-related hypertension and severity of hypertension. J Hum Hypertens 23, 415–419 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2008.140

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