Maternal hemodynamics and aortic diameter in normal and hypertensive pregnancies
Easterling, T.R.; Benedetti, T.J.; Schmucker, B.C.; Carlson, K.; Millard, S.P.
Obstetrics and Gynecology 78(6): 1073-1077
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-7844 PMID: 1945210 Document Number: 369380
The aortic diameters of 89 normotensive pregnant women were compared with those of nine rigorously defined preeclamptic women and 59 women who required antihypertensive therapy. Over the course of normal pregnancy, the diameter increased significantly; it was larger in preeclamptic than in normotensive women throughout pregnancy. The aortic diameter in women with high-resistance hypertension was smaller than that in normotensive women and in those with high-output, low-resistance hypertension, but it was larger in women with low-resistance hypertension than in normotensive women. The aortic diameter increased after treatment of high-resistance hypertension with hydralazine, but decreased after treatment of high-output, low-resistance hypertension.