May is National Preeclampsia Awareness month in US.

The Preeclampsia Foundation and its partners have marked the month of May as preeclampsia awareness month to raise awareness about the condition and its symptoms. Many events and walks are organized throughout US to raise the public awareness about this condition.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy complicating up to 1-5% of pregnancies, and remains a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Besides being the cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality it is also an important risk factor for CVD later in life.

Several studies, meta-analysis and systematic review have that women with a history of preeclampsia have 2-4-fold increased risk of cardiovascular diseases(CVD) later in life.

A recent paper presented at the ACOG conference in San Diego showed that internist and family physicians seldom ask the women about this during a well women examination missing an important opportunity to identify women at risk for a CVD event.

Here are few other important research papers published recently on early diagnosis, treatment and long term follow up of patients with  preeclampsia:

USPSTF final recommendation statement favor screening for preeclampsia throughout pregnancy.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) today issued its final recommendations for preeclampsia screening by monitoring the blood pressure throughout pregnancy with grade B, meaning there exists substantial net benefit for the mother and infant because of screening.

The recommendations, accompanying editorial and systematic review evidence was published online 25 April 2017 in JAMA.

https://obgynupdated.blogspot.com/2017/04/uspstf-final-recommendation-statement.html

Preeclampsia doubles the risk of future major fatal and nonfatal coronary event.

History of preeclampsia in first pregnancy doubles the risk for Major Cardiac Event (MACEs) subsequently later in life for mothers, the risk is 2.8 times if the preeclamptic pregnancy resulted in SGA and/or preterm delivery. If the preeclampsia recurs in subsequent pregnancy the risk is 2.2 times while if it is combined again with in SGA and/or preterm delivery the risk increases nearly 5 times compared with women without preeclampsia according to new research study published in March issue of Journal of American Medical Association(JAMA)

https://obgynupdated.blogspot.com/2017/04/preeclampsia-doubles-risk-of-future.html

Pre-clinical atherosclerosis persists up to 10 years after preeclamptic pregnancy .

Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy complicating up to 1-5% of pregnancies, and remains a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide.

https://obgynupdated.blogspot.com/2017/01/pre-clinical-atherosclerosis-persists.html

History of preeclampsia linked to coronary artery calcification 30 years later.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive pregnancy disorder complicating 1-5% of all pregnancies, and is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. 

In-fact it is known as the modulator of the offspring health, as many studies have associated it with increased incidence of metabolic syndrome later in the life of the offspring. 

A substantial number of epidemiological studies in recent year have also documented it to be a risk factor for increased cardiovascular and renal diseases for mother later in life.

https://obgynupdated.blogspot.com/2016/02/history-of-preeclampsia-linked-to.html

New Use of old drug: Sildenafil Citrate ( Viagra) in treatment of preeclampsia.

A recent study published online July 07, 2016 in journal of obstetrics and gynecology concluded that treatment with sildenafil citrate prolonged pregnancy by an average of 4 days compared with placebo.

Sildenafil citrate, is a specific phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, augments the vasodilatory effects of NO by preventing the degradation of cGMP causing vasodilatation. Phosphodiesterase-5 is present in the human feto-placental circulation and sildenafil mediates vasodilatation and improve fetoplacental circulation by the same mechanism of action.

https://obgynupdated.blogspot.com/2016/07/new-use-of-old-drug-sildenafil-citrate.html

Renal Function Tests useful in predicting the risk of preeclampsia.

A recent paper published online June 6 in Obstetrics & Gynecology suggests that baseline renal parameters may be useful in predicting the risk for preeclampsia among pregnant women with chronic hypertension.

This is a retrospective cohort study of 755 women with singleton pregnancy with chronic hypertension. Renal function (urine protein-to-creatinine ratio and serum creatinine) assessment was done in all patients before 20 weeks.

https://obgynupdated.blogspot.com/2016/06/renal-function-tests-useful-in.html

Two blood tests to rule out pre-eclampsia approved by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), UK.

NICE have approved and recommended two blood tests Triage PlGF test (Alere) and the Elecsys immunoassay sFlt-1/PlGF ratio (Roche Diagnostics) to help rule-out pre-eclampsia between 20th and 35th week of pregnancy.

The tests detect changes in the blood indicating that the placenta is not developing properly.

https://obgynupdated.blogspot.com/2016/05/two-blood-tests-to-rule-out-pre.html