Research indicates that poor prepregnancy cardiovascular health correlates with a heightened risk of gestational diabetes and coronary artery calcium later in life. This highlights the need for healthcare providers to prioritize cardiovascular health improvement for patients before they conceive. The study utilized data from the CARDIA project, which included over 1,000 participants with documented prepregnancy cardiovascular health and coronary artery calcium test results. Results revealed that those with suboptimal cardiovascular health faced greater risks of gestational diabetes and future coronary artery issues. Follow-up care is necessary for patients post-pregnancy to enhance heart health.
"We need to optimize cardiovascular health early in the life course," said Cameron, who is also an instructor in the Department of Preventive Medicine's Division of Epidemiology.
Overall, the investigators found that participants with poor prepregnancy cardiovascular health compared to those with better prepregnancy cardiovascular health were more likely to have a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes and were more likely to develop CAC.
Patients with gestational diabetes and other adverse pregnancy outcomes should follow up with a primary care provider so we can optimize heart health after pregnancy.
The findings suggest that gestational diabetes is a marker of prepregnancy cardiovascular health, underscoring the importance of healthcare providers in helping patients improve their cardiovascular health prior to pregnancy.
#cardiovascular-health #gestational-diabetes #midlife-health #prepregnancy-care #coronary-artery-disease
Collection
[
|
...
]