Project 171841

A group of researchers from McMaster University is studying women who had preeclampsia (high blood pressure during the last half of pregnancy along with leakage of protein in their urine) because they seem to be at double the risk for early heart disease and stroke.However, the studies which have been published did not determine if preeclampsia itself is a cardiovascular risk factor because they did not account for all of the other known risk factors. In particular, they did not study leakage of protein in the urine (microalbuminuria) which is a risk factor. We seek to address these issues in the current study. Women will be studied 10-20 years after the pregnancy in which they had preeclampsia and compared to women with uncomplicated pregnancies. We will send an invitation to participate to both groups. A research nurse will schedule an appointment with those who agree. At the appointment, the research nurse will ask questions about their health, exercise, smoking, stress, diet and other risk factors for heart disease. She will measure their blood pressure, height, weight, waist circumference and hip circumference. Participants will have urine and blood tested for risk factors for heart disease. They will have an ultrasound of the blood vessels in their neck to measure the thickness of the blood vessel wall. The amount of early atherosclerosis (thickening of the blood vessel wall) will be compared in women with a history of preeclampsia to women with uncomplicated pregnancies. This study would add to existing knowledge by i) determining for the first time the prevalence of early (called subclinical) atherosclerosis in relatively young women in their 40's and 50's who have had preeclampsia, ii) explaining the cause of any increase in subclinical atherosclerosis with a complete assessment of current cardiovascular risk factors which will allow us to determine if preeclampsia itself is a risk for heart disease.