Aim: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are estimated to occur in up to 10% of all pregnancies and are associated with an increased risk of future cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic hypertension (HT). Therefore, we examined the impact of a history of HDP on CVD possibility in middle- and older-aged Japanese women.
Methods: We used the Tohoku Medical Megabank database to obtain the data of 26,024 menopausal women who were aged ≥ 50 years, had children, did not smoke, and did not have chronic kidney disease and to analyze the relationship between HDP history and CVD.
Results: A history of HDP was found in 4.6% of women. We divided the women into four groups according to the presence or absence of HDP and HT. The percentage of women with dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and body mass index of ≥ 25 kg/m2 was the highest in the HDP＋ HT＋ group compared to the other groups (43.4%, 24.0%, and 45.2%, respectively). Adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the combined six CVD categories was higher for those with a history of HDP alone (OR [95% confidence interval [CI]]: 1.61 [1.03-2.53]). Moreover, the OR was significantly higher for those with combination with HDP history and HT (OR [95% CI]: 4.11 [3.16-5.35]). The prevalence of individual CVD was also the highest in the HT＋ HDP＋ group.
Conclusion: An HDP history can influence the risk of CVD in Japanese women, indicating the importance of information about pregnancy outcomes in health management.
Keywords: Cardiovascular disease risk; Hypertension; Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy; Women’s health.