ABSTRACT
Introduction: Preeclampsia is a disease unique to pregnancyand it is characterized by progressive hypertension,pathological edema and proteinuria. But till now thehemodynamics of preeclampsia is not properly understoodand is debated. Study aimed to assess maternal cardiovascularfunction using echocardiography in normal and preeclampticwomen.Material and Methods: Our study was a prospective studyon 200 women admitted in the Department of Obstetrics andGynaecology, Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of MedicalSciences, Bommakal, Karimnagar, Telangana state, India. Allwomen underwent two-dimensional echocardiography at rest.Cardiac systolic parameters were recorded and studied.Results: The studied parameters like Mean Left ventricularend-diastolic volume (LVEDV), Mean stroke volume, Meanaortic root diameter and Mean total vascular resistancewere higher in the Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH)group than the controls and the difference was statisticallysignificant. The Mean left ventricular outflow tract diameterin the Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) group wasalso higher than the control group, with the difference beinginsignificant.Conclusion: Women with preeclampsia have significantsystolic dysfunction compared to normotensive controls.Blood pressure monitoring alone is insufficient to identifyeffectively.