Pregnancy disorder signals need to screen for heart disease

"High blood pressure experienced during pregnancy could be a woman's earliest warning that she is at risk of developing heart disease - the number one killer of Canadian women - says Queen's University professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graeme Smith. Called pre-eclampsia, this type of high blood pressure occurs in 5-10 per cent of all pregnancies. But because most practicing physicians are unaware of the connection between pre-eclampsia and the risk for future cardiovascular problems, they fail to follow up with screening tests. As a result, their patients aren't taking proactive steps to avoid potential heart attacks and strokes. According to the 2007 Heart and Stroke Foundation Annual Report on Canadians' Health, Canadian women have now caught up to men in cardiovascular deaths, with almost 37,000 deaths annually from heart disease and stroke"