Preeclampsia and later-life heart disease

04 Jan Preeclampsia and later-life heart disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women. Having a prior complicated pregnancy may play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease. One specific complication of interest is preeclampsia, a pregnancy-specific disease presenting with high blood pressure and problems with other major organs. We know that women with preeclampsia are 2-8 times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease later in life compared to women with healthy pregnancies. We do not fully understand why some women with preeclampsia develop CVD, and thus we do not know how best to take care of them. It is possible that the preeclampsia pregnancy itself causes damage to the maternal system, leading to the development of cardiovascular disease later in life. We are interested in better understanding this possible pathway of disease by investigating the cells that are transferred between mother and baby during pregnancy, as these are known to persist for decades after the pregnancy.

Participant Eligibility

1) Female individuals over the age of 18 with a current diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (i.e. heart disease). Heart disease includes history of a heart attack, atherosclerotic aortic or coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, and possibly others. A study team member will be happy to review to determine eligibility.

2) History of prior pregnancy (these can be normal uncomplicated pregnancies or pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia).

3) English-speaking.

4) Ability to present once to a blood draw site in Seattle (preferably UW Montlake or UW South Lake Union).

Interested individuals can enter their info here (https://redcap.link/pregnancy_hearthealth) for a study member to contact them to review the study and answer any questions.

Contact

Raj Shree
(206) 616-1158