Hypertension

Because stress is a major factor in hypertension, research on parenting stressors and lifestyle behaviors of grandparents with hypertension is important. This study describes urban African Americans caring for grandchildren and examines effects of perceived parenting stressors on hypertension self-management. Hypertensive African American grandparents (N = 49) residing in a large Midwestern city participated in the study. Structured interviews collected descriptive data and the Index of Parental Attitudes (IPA).

There is an increased risk for future cardiovascular disease in women who have had preeclampsia. In infants born to mothers with preeclampsia, there is growing evidence of increased risk for both cardiovascular disease and preeclampsia. Epidemiologic and experimental data provide a strong link between intrauterine exposure to preeclampsia and subsequent risk for the development of cardiovascular disease in women.
 

Regulatory process may be altered in response to the intrauterine environment, leading to the development of altered growth trajectory and disease later in life. Previously, our lab reported reduced leptin levels in pregnant hypertensive Sprague-Dawley rat dams with placental insufficiency. The purposes of this study were to investigate the relationship between leptin levels, growth and hypertension in two generations of offspring exposed to placental insufficiency. Leptin levels were significantly different only at 12 weeks in female first generation offspring (p < 0.05).