High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy May Lead to Heart Troubles Later in Life

A new study has suggested that high blood pressure during pregnancy later in life can lead to heart troubles. These women are at higher risk for metabolic syndrome after giving birth. Metabolic syndrome involves having three or more of the following conditions: abdominal obesity, high triglyceride levels, low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure (hypertension), and high blood sugar.

The study included 507 pregnant women from China who had no previous history of high blood pressure. During pregnancy, 34 percent of women had a normal low-blood pressure range, 52 percent had a mid-normal range, and 13 percent had a high-normal blood pressure range.

Those with high-normal blood pressure were more likely to develop metabolic syndrome after birth, compared to other women with low or moderate blood pressure readings.

The principal investigator Dr. Jian-Min Niu, “Our findings highlight an important issue that has long been ignored in clinical practice - that criteria for hypertension in pregnancy come from the general population. We hope that if further research reaffirms it, our study could inspire a shift in how we currently perceive healthy blood pressure in pregnant women. "

The researchers concluded, "Early identification of metabolic risk factors and implementation of lifestyle modifications may help delay the onset of cardiovascular disease 20 to 30 years after delivery."

Also, read the article Bel Marra Health: Natural ways to improve heart rate and pump your heart.