Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of death throughout the world. In the United States this is also true, as CVD is the leading cause of death among women overall and during pregnancy. Additionally, preeclampsia continues to lead morbidity and mortality. A diagnosis of preeclampsia will increase a woman’s risk of cardiovascular disease odds by 75% within 10 years of birth. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, as providers, there is a window of opportunity to assess and teach women of lifestyle changes preventing CVD. Unfortunately, many healthcare providers are unaware of this long-term effect and women are not assessed nor taught about the dangerous cardiovascular effects from preeclampsia. This article addresses the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, provides an overview of the long-term effects of CVD from preeclampsia, and introduces interventions needed to recognize and respond along with lifestyle preventative measures to decrease the cardiovascular risk and improve the health of women