www.preeclampsia.org Preeclampsia Foundation
Needed: Minority representation in research
While all pregnant women are at risk and should know the signs and symptoms of preeclampsia, and when to seek medical attention, we know now that American Indians/Alaska Natives have twice the normal rate of preeclampsia, and are also more likely to enter pregnancy with underlying conditions like obesity and diabetes that can make preeclampsia more likely to occur.
Preeclampsia Strikes African American Women Hard
Last Updated on Wednesday, February 06, 2013
By Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway
…On an average, there is approximately 1 maternal death for every 100,000 births, but for African American women, this number triples. African American women are three times more likely to die from preeclampsia and other childbirth-related issues and no one knows why…
The Connection Between Your Cortisol Levels and Vascular Tone
The Cortisol Connection
The Impact of Increased Vascular Tone on Your Cardiovascular System
When cortisol releases from the adrenal glands, it enters the circulatory system immediately. The endothelial and smooth muscle cells that line your arteries are sensitive to glucocorticoids. In addition to this, there is evidence suggesting that high circulating amounts of cortisol makes arteries more responsive to norepinephrine and vascular resistance. When vascular tone is high, the space that blood can move through is reduced. As a result, the heart must pump harder to deliver blood to organs around the body. In turn, your heart continues to respond to other hormonal mechanisms at the kidneys which also increase blood pressure. For example, when the kidneys detect low blood volume or low sodium, they will initiate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone cascade. All of this means that a constant state of hypertension can result. For the average person suffering from high cortisol levels, this means you increase your risk of other cardiovascular diseases. This includes coronary artery disease and heart attacks.
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