Preeclampsia may boost heart disease risk by altering blood vessels
In a study, researchers compared women who had healthy pregnancies with those that experienced preeclampsia, a condition in which blood vessels around the uterus constrict during pregnancy and can result in symptoms that include high blood pressure , kidney damage, swelling and headaches. The researchers found that after a pregnancy, the blood vessels of women who experienced preeclampsia function differently than women who had healthy pregnancies, which could help explain why women who have had preeclampsia go on to have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. "We were able to show that even though the symptoms of preeclampsia go away once the woman gives birth, there's still an underlying dysfunction in the blood vessels," said Anna Stanhewicz, a post-doctoral fellow in the College of Health and Human Development. "This suggests that something happens during a preeclamptic pregnancy that permanently changes the way blood vessels function." Stanhewicz ...