Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology
-
Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. · Sep 2006
ReviewPre-eclampsia: contribution of maternal constitutional factors and the consequences for cardiovascular health.
1. Pre-eclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy that is potentially life threatening for both the mother and baby. It encompasses a number of abnormalities that may be present in other clinical conditions. 2. ⋯ Underlying hypertension, diabetes and obesity strongly predispose to pre-eclampsia. However, a continuum of risk may exist for blood pressure, bodyweight, glucose and lipids, which, in combination with each other and some degree of placental abnormalities, may lead to the development of pre-eclampsia. 4. The present review will focus on the maternal constitutional factors that define the metabolic syndrome and examine their contribution to pre-eclampsia and the long-term consequences for cardiovascular health.