NATS 1675 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Gestational Hypertension, Hypotension, Blood Vessel
11 Nov 2016
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Coplicatios of Pregacy Nov. ,
Hypertension of Pregnancy
• Hypertension refers to High Blood Pressure (BP)
o Does’t ea she’s uptight
o Tension is used in physics → tension on blood vessels is increased
• Hypertension can occur at any age or stage, but is particularly dangerous in late
pregnancy.
o More common among African American women
o Increases in incidence in age → revisit
o During pregnancy is dangerous; it can lead to disease called toxemia of
pregnancy
• Hypertension of pregnancy refers to increased blood pressure that develops during
pregnancy.
• More common, pregnancy induced hypertension
What is Blood Pressure
• It is the pressure of blood that is exerted at right angles to the blood vessel wall.
o Outward pressure of blood against the wall of vessel
• It is measured with a stethoscope and a pressure cuff.
• Two readings are taken:
o The higher is termed the systolic and reflects heart function
▪ How well your heart is pumping
▪ Goes up if you are exercising vigorously
o The lower is termed diastolic and refers to resistance in the blood vessels
▪ Resistance of flow in blood vessels
▪ Blood vessels clamp down there will be greater resistance to flow;
diameter is smaller
BP Measurement
• Normal blood pressure for our age should be below 140 systolic, below 90 diastolic (140/90<)
• Low blood pressure is healthier than higher
• We want to know if there is a trend during pregnant or non-pregnant state of increase in blood
pressure to intervene before it gets higher than 140/90 to suggest lifestyle changes
• Cuff is pumped up to 200 of erury, o’t hear aythig at this poit
• Person listens to artery in elbow
• Will hear a soft sound as they release the pressure → systolic
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
• Soft wooshing sound as they continue to release the pressure → diastolic
• White coat syndrome: stress causing BP to increase more than normal
• One reading is not usually definitive
Facts about BP
• No single reading is indicative of hypertension unless it is significantly elevated
• Stress and exercise will elevate BP temporarily.
• Normal range for health adults:
o Between 90/60 mmHg and 140/90 mmHg.
o Smaller women have lower BP 90/60, feel fine
Diameter of the vessel affects BP
• Narrowing blood vessel increases blood pressure
• Circular Muscles in wall of small blood vessels (arterials) contract there is greater pressure of
blood against walls
Pregnancy and Blood Pressure
• The plaeta produes horoes hih ay redue the diaeter of the other’s lood
vessels → increased BP.
o Plaeta ot gettig a good lood flo fro other’s body, it may produce
hormone to cause contraction of blood vessels
▪ If the lood essels i the other’s ody otrat, there’s a possiility
that more blood will get to the placenta → compensation mechanism
▪ Does’t alays ork just to opesate, i soe omen the hormones
will be released when BP is within normal range, result is that it will cause
ireased BP i the oa’s ody
• This most often occurs in the last trimester.
• Risk factors include:
o Age<17yrs
o First pregnancy
o Ethnicity; particularly African Canadian
Complications of Hypertension of Pregnancy
• The woman may have convulsions or a stroke
o Baby delivered to stop this from happening; blood pressure returns to normal because
hormones are no longer secreted to restrict the blood vessels
• The baby may need to be delivered early to prevent complications
o Signs of high BP during pregnancy
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Increases in incidence in age revisit: during pregnancy is dangerous; it can lead to disease called toxemia of pregnancy, hypertension of pregnancy refers to increased blood pressure that develops during pregnancy, more common, pregnancy induced hypertension. It is the pressure of blood that is exerted at right angles to the blood vessel wall: outward pressure of blood against the wall of vessel. Bp measurement: normal blood pressure for our age should be below 140 systolic, below 90 diastolic (140/90
