Pre-eclampsia, (Pregnancy with Hypertension And Proteinuria) A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

by Kenneth Kee

Overview

This book describes Pre-eclampsia, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases
Recently we had a few cases of pregnant mothers with pre-eclampsia losing their fetuses.
It is heart breaking especially if the mother is having her first pregnancy and the fetus is fairly advanced.
It is therefore important for a pregnant mother to know about pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia is when a pregnant woman forms high blood pressure and protein in the urine after the 20th week of pregnancy.
Pre-eclampsia is described as pregnancy-induced hypertension together with proteinuria (>0.3 g in 24 hours) with or without edema.
Almost any organ system may be affected.
Pre-eclampsia is a fairly frequent disorder that may become life-threatening for the mother and the fetus.
It is featured by maternal hypertension, proteinuria, edema, fetal intrauterine growth limitation and premature birth.
Severe pre-eclampsia is defined as diastolic blood pressure (BP) of at least 110 mm Hg or systolic BP of at least 160 mm Hg, and symptoms, and biochemical and hematological damage.
In severe pre-eclampsia, the fetus and newborn may have neurological injury caused by hypoxia.
Prompt detection of pre-eclampsia and signs of medical damage, such as any decrease in platelet count, needs urgent referral to hospital to prevent the serious medical effects of these disorders.
Eclampsia is described as the episode of one or more convulsions superimposed on pre-eclampsia.
Causes
The precise cause of pre-eclampsia is not known.
It is featured by suboptimal utero-placental perfusion linked with a maternal inflammatory response and poor maternal vascular endothelial function.
This in turn results in vascular hyper-permeability, thrombophilia and hypertension, which may balance the reduced flow in the uterine arteries.
A protective part of heme oxygenase 1 and its metabolite carbon monoxide may be affected.
The placenta has a pivotal part in the formation of pre-eclampsia.
It happens in about 3% to 7% of all pregnancies from:
1.Autoimmune disorders
2.Blood vessel problems
3.The diet
4.The genes
Symptoms
Often, women who have pre-eclampsia do not feel ill.
Pre-eclampsia is defined by systolic BP >140 mm Hg or diastolic BP >90 mm Hg in the second half of pregnancy, with ≥1+ proteinuria on reagent stick testing:
Diagnosis:
1.High blood pressure, often higher than 140/90 mm/Hg
2.Swelling in the hands and face
3.Weight gain
4.Protein in the urine (proteinuria)
5.Higher-than-normal liver enzymes
6.Platelet count that is low
7.Ultrasound assessment of fetal growth and the volume of amniotic fluid
Treatment:
The only way to cure pre-eclampsia is to deliver the baby.
1.Bed rest, and lying on the left side
2.Drinking plenty of water
3.Eating less salt
Hospital:
1.Close monitoring of the mother and baby
2.Medicines to control blood pressure and seizures
3.Steroid injections for pregnancies under 34 weeks
The baby must be delivered if there are signs of severe pre-eclampsia:
1.Tests that show the baby is not growing well or is not getting enough blood and oxygen
2.The bottom number of the blood pressure is over 110 mmHg
3.Abnormal liver function
4.Seizures or alterations in mental function (eclampsia)
5.Fluid buildup in the mother's lungs
6.HELLP syndrome
7.Low platelet count
8.Low urine output
High blood pressure:
1.Labetalol
2.Nefidipine
3.Hydralazine
Seizures:
Magnesium sulfate to control seizures
Fluid balance:
Fluid restriction
Delivery:
The decision to deliver should be made once the woman is stable
If the fetus is less than 34 weeks, steroids are given
Vaginal delivery is suggested after 37 weeks but caesarean section tends more likely
Postpartum review of BP and mother and baby is needed.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Pre-eclampsia
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapter 7 Proteinuria
Chapter 8 Hypertension
Epilogue

Product Details

BN ID:	2940155284710
Publisher:	Kenneth Kee
Publication date:	06/06/2018
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	142 KB

About the Author

Medical doctor since 1972. Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009. Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993. Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 65. However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. He first started writing free blogs on medical conditions seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com. His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiolographical account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com. This autobiolographical account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Conditions” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com. From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 550 amazon kindle books and some into Smashwords.com eBooks. He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books. He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures. Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple. For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients. The later books go into more details of medical conditions. The first chapter of all my ebooks is always taken from my blog A Simple Guide to Medical Conditions which was started in 2007 as a simple educational help to my patients on my first blog http://kennethkee.blogspot.com. The medical condition was described simply and direct to the point. Because the simple guide as taken from the blog was described as too simple, I have increased the other chapters to include more detailed description of the illness, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. As a result there are the complaints by some readers of constant repetitions of the same contents but in detail and fairly up to date. He has published 550 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter. The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health conditions and not meant as textbooks. He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke. His clinic is now relocated to the Bouna Vista Community Centre. The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall. He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) starting with the Apple computer and going to PC. All the PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core. The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive. He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance. His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner. The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned. This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale. Dr Kee is the author of: "A Family Doctor's Tale" "Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine" "Case Notes From A Family Doctor"