Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage – questions on gestational hypertension diagnosis and treatment threshold: A case report

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for pregnant patients, but how aggressively to address non-severe hypertension in pregnancy remains controversial. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) currently recommends a blood pressure t...

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Main Authors: Elana A. King-Nakaoka, Heather M. Beasley, Stephen R. Kessinger, David C. Pfeiffer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-12-01
Series:Case Reports in Women's Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214911223000930
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author Elana A. King-Nakaoka
Heather M. Beasley
Stephen R. Kessinger
David C. Pfeiffer
author_facet Elana A. King-Nakaoka
Heather M. Beasley
Stephen R. Kessinger
David C. Pfeiffer
author_sort Elana A. King-Nakaoka
collection DOAJ
description Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for pregnant patients, but how aggressively to address non-severe hypertension in pregnancy remains controversial. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) currently recommends a blood pressure treatment threshold of 140/90 mmHg during pregnancy. However, 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC-AHA) guidelines define stage 1 hypertension by blood pressures of >130/80 mmHg within the general population. There is now an understudied population of pregnant patients considered to have stage 1 hypertension by ACC-AHA guidelines but who do not meet the treatment threshold by ACOG's standards. This article presents a patient who met ACC-AHA-defined stage 1 hypertension throughout her pregnancy and went on to develop severe hypertension and a postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) secondary to venous hemorrhage. She presented to the emergency department 17 days postpartum complaining of an extreme headache and with a blood pressure of 230/125 mmHg. Magnetic resonance imaging showed SAH in the parietal region adjacent to the superior sagittal sinus. Magnesium and labetalol were administered followed by a clevidipine drip. The patient was continued on antihypertensives and made a full recovery. This article's objective is to draw attention to the urgent need for increased clarity of practice guidelines, consensus between societies, and further study of peripartum health outcomes for pregnant patients defined as having stage 1 hypertension by 2017 ACC-AHA criteria.
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spelling doaj.art-5a8285f720fa4f039d8cfb45f6911ed22023-12-09T06:06:27ZengElsevierCase Reports in Women's Health2214-91122023-12-0140e00569Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage – questions on gestational hypertension diagnosis and treatment threshold: A case reportElana A. King-Nakaoka0Heather M. Beasley1Stephen R. Kessinger2David C. Pfeiffer3WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID 83844-4061, USAWWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID 83844-4061, USASt. Joseph Regional Medical Center, 415 6th Street, Lewiston, ID 83501, USAWWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID 83844-4061, USA; Corresponding author at: WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, Idaho 83844-4061, USA.Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for pregnant patients, but how aggressively to address non-severe hypertension in pregnancy remains controversial. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) currently recommends a blood pressure treatment threshold of 140/90 mmHg during pregnancy. However, 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC-AHA) guidelines define stage 1 hypertension by blood pressures of >130/80 mmHg within the general population. There is now an understudied population of pregnant patients considered to have stage 1 hypertension by ACC-AHA guidelines but who do not meet the treatment threshold by ACOG's standards. This article presents a patient who met ACC-AHA-defined stage 1 hypertension throughout her pregnancy and went on to develop severe hypertension and a postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) secondary to venous hemorrhage. She presented to the emergency department 17 days postpartum complaining of an extreme headache and with a blood pressure of 230/125 mmHg. Magnetic resonance imaging showed SAH in the parietal region adjacent to the superior sagittal sinus. Magnesium and labetalol were administered followed by a clevidipine drip. The patient was continued on antihypertensives and made a full recovery. This article's objective is to draw attention to the urgent need for increased clarity of practice guidelines, consensus between societies, and further study of peripartum health outcomes for pregnant patients defined as having stage 1 hypertension by 2017 ACC-AHA criteria.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214911223000930Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhageGestational hypertensionHypertensive disorders of pregnancy
spellingShingle Elana A. King-Nakaoka
Heather M. Beasley
Stephen R. Kessinger
David C. Pfeiffer
Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage – questions on gestational hypertension diagnosis and treatment threshold: A case report
Case Reports in Women's Health
Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage
Gestational hypertension
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
title Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage – questions on gestational hypertension diagnosis and treatment threshold: A case report
title_full Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage – questions on gestational hypertension diagnosis and treatment threshold: A case report
title_fullStr Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage – questions on gestational hypertension diagnosis and treatment threshold: A case report
title_full_unstemmed Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage – questions on gestational hypertension diagnosis and treatment threshold: A case report
title_short Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage – questions on gestational hypertension diagnosis and treatment threshold: A case report
title_sort postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage questions on gestational hypertension diagnosis and treatment threshold a case report
topic Postpartum subarachnoid hemorrhage
Gestational hypertension
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214911223000930
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AT stephenrkessinger postpartumsubarachnoidhemorrhagequestionsongestationalhypertensiondiagnosisandtreatmentthresholdacasereport
AT davidcpfeiffer postpartumsubarachnoidhemorrhagequestionsongestationalhypertensiondiagnosisandtreatmentthresholdacasereport