• C M Schannwell, L Schmitz, F C Schoebel, T Zimmermann, R Marx, G Plehn, M Leschke, and B E Strauer.
• Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik B Klinik für Kardiologie, Pneumologie und Angiologie Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf Moorenstrasse 5 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
• Z Kardiol. 2001 Jun 1; 90 (6): 427-36.

IntroductionDuring pregnancy eminent cardiovascular changes occur. The aim of the following study was to investigate the course of hemodynamic parameters under increased volume load during pregnancy in women suffering from mild arterial hypertension.MethodsAltogether 47 women (age: 25 +/- 4 years) with mild arterial hypertension detected during pregnancy underwent echocardiography at the 9th, 24th and 33rd week of gestation. Furthermore echocardiography was performed postpartum at weeks 1 and 8. The control group comprised 45 healthy pregnant women. In all patients left ventricular muscle mass index and systolic shortening fraction were measured. The following Doppler echocardiographic parameters were ascertained: peak early diastolic and peak late diastolic flow, VE/VA ratio, acceleration time, deceleration time and isovolumetric relaxation time.ResultsDuring pregnancy all patients had an increase of left ventricular muscle mass index and a decrease of fractional shortening. All patients developed a relevant diastolic dysfunction. While the control group developed signs of disturbed relaxation as reduction of peak early diastolic flow (0.89 +/- 0.07 versus 0.82 +/- 0.08 m/s*), VE/VA ratio and an increase of isovolumetric relaxation time (72 +/- 12 versus 123 +/- 7*) at the 33rd week of gestation (* p < 0.01), all pregnant women with mild arterial hypertension developed a diastolic dysfunction with signs of delayed relaxation already at the beginning of gestation. 26 pregnant women with arterial hypertension developed a restrictive diastolic filling pattern at 24 weeks of gestation. The other 21 pregnant women only showed restriction for a short time at the end of gestation. In healthy pregnant women, volume load results in a reversible physiologic left ventricular hypertrophia, a significant alteration of diastolic left ventricular function in terms of a disturbed relaxation pattern and a temporary decrease of systolic function. In comparison hypertensive pregnant women show a delayed relaxation at the beginning of pregnancy and 50% developed early signs of restrictive cardiomyopathy. These changes may predispose to critical complications during pregnancy.

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