Hypertension in pregnancy

Hypertension in pregnancy is defined as an increase in systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg' and/or diastolic pressure ≥ 90 mmHg.

The following types of hypertension can occur during pregnancy:


 * Pre-existing hypertension
 * Gestational hypertension which appears after the 20th week of pregnancy. It is either accompanied by proteinuria (preeclampsia) or is without proteinuria.
 * Gestational hypertension together with preexisting hypertension

Late gestosis is the name for a disease in the second half of pregnancy with edema, proteinuria and hypertension, occurring in 7-15 % of pregnancies. Since 1972, it has been divided into "preeclampsia" (moderate and severe), "eclampsia", "chronic (essential) hypertension", "chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia" and "gestational hypertension". .


 * Hypertension - if systole increases by 30 and diastole by 15 Torr above the norm before conception.
 * Edemay – total accumulation of fluid in all tissues, manifested as swelling of the face and limbs.
 * Proteinuria – loss of more than 300 mg/day indicates preeclampsia.
 * causes – renal glomerular endotheliosis (hyaline and fatty degeneration of the glomerulus).

Chronic hypertension

 * Chronic hypertension, or preexisting hypertension, is defined as an increase in BP before the 20th week of pregnancy;
 * there is a history of hypertension even before conception and we repeatedly find higher values;
 * findings on the background of the eye (retinopathy), hypertrophy of the heart (LV), changes in renal functions, ... are evidence for this diagnosis;
 * often complicated by superimposed preeclampsia.


 * We hospitalize a pregnant woman if


 * BP corresponds to a severe form of hypertension - above 160/110;
 * activation of the underlying disease is present (e.g. pyelonephritis);
 * at the first occurrence of proteinuria;
 * with a severe form of IUGR.
 * Monitoring, laboratory values and other parameters are the same as for preeclampsia.

Superimposed Preeclampsia

 * Rise of systole by 30 and diastole by 15 Torr;
 * usually superimposes on already existing chronic hypertension during pregnancy;
 * proteinuria appears either as a new symptom or worsens the existing one to values around 2 g/day;
 * pregnant care - see preeclampsia.

Related Articles

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