Implication of Lipid and Fasting Blood Glucose in Hypertensive Pregnant Women in Nigeria

Background: Dyslipidemia in the early stages of pregnancy raises the risk of preeclampsia. When compared to women who had a normal pregnancy, those who have a history of preeclampsia have significantly different lipid profiles and are more vulnerable to lipoprotein oxidation. According to reports, a key contributing factor to preeclampsia-related hypertension is disorders in lipoprotein metabolism.

Aim: Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine how fat and glucose may contribute to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) in Nigerian women.

Methodology: The study's methodology used a prospective cohort design. Pregnant women receiving antenatal treatment at four different tertiary health centers in Nigeria comprised the participants. The study included 521 patients in all, of whom 34 acquired various forms of HDP. After an overnight fast, participants without HDP at baseline, in the second, third, or at the moment of developing hypertension had around 12 milliliters of venous blood sample taken aseptically from the antecubital vein. The lipid profile and fasting blood sugar levels were measured.

Results: Fasting plasma glucose and lipid profile mean values rose in the second and third trimesters, respectively, in hypertensive women. While fasting plasma glucose decreased significantly from the first to the third trimester in normotensive women, the mean values of triglycerides gradually increased. The median levels of total cholesterol, HDL-C, and LDL-C gradually increased beginning in the first trimester, peaked in the second, and then decreased in the third.

Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrated that changes in lipid profiles and fasting blood sugar levels were related to hypertensive problems during pregnancy in Nigerian women. In women with systolic blood pressure 130 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure 80 mmHg at the first antenatal appointment, early estimate of fasting plasma glucose and lipid profile may be helpful in predicting the development of hypertensive problems in the future.