Clinical Trials

This study is being done to look for early indicators in the blood and urine of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Specifically, this study will look for differences between gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome and normal pregnancy. The following indicators will be studied: specific activated clotting factors (proteins in the blood that help form clots); the enzyme that cleaves clotting factor aggregates (clots); and microparticles (small particles shed from cells) from blood vessel cells, platelets (part of the blood that forms clots) and in the urine. Gestational hypertension refers to a benign form of high blood pressure in pregnancy.  The results ...

The purpose of the study is to determine if:

• A history of hypertensive pregnancy disorders (HPD), in general, and preeclampsia, in particular, compared to normotensive pregnancies, confers an increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) after controlling for traditional risk factors.
• A history of HPD, in general, and preeclampsia, in particular, compared to normotensive pregnancies, is associated with more severe atherosclerotic disease at the time of the diagnosis of CAD.
• A history of HPD, in general, and preeclampsia, in particular, compared to normotensive pregnancies, increases the risk for a composite outcome of subsequent CAD, atrial fibrillation, ...