Long-term cardiovascular problems triggered by gestational diabetes, study demonstrates

By Editor
23rd November 2022
Cardiovascular disease, Gestational diabetes Pregnancy Research

Gestational diabetes is associated with more diverse cardiovascular outcomes than previously considered, latest research suggests.

A team of academics used multivariable Cox proportional hazard models to assess the heart health of more than 219,000 middle-aged women, all of whom had given birth at least once.

In addition, they performed a casual mediation analysis to examine the contribution of well-known risk factors to observed risk.

They found that more than 13,000 women went on to develop a cardiovascular problem, including coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, mitral regurgitation and atrial fibrillation.

Women with a history of gestational diabetes were more at risk of developing heart complications compared to females who were not diagnosed with the condition whilst they were pregnant, the study has reported.

The results state: “In mediation analysis, overt diabetes explained 23 per cent, hypertension explained 11 per cent, and dyslipidaemia explained 10 per cent of the association between gestational diabetes and overall cardiovascular outcome.”

Previous studies have showed that gestational diabetes can be a risk factor for subsequent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

However, there is a paucity of information regarding diverse cardiovascular outcomes in elderly women after gestational diabetes, researchers have said.

To read the study, click here.

Photo by Cassidy Rowell on Unsplash

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