Angiotensin II and Chronic Inflammation in Persistent Microvascular Dysfunction Following Preeclampsia

Women who develop preeclampsia during pregnancy are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease later in life, even if they are otherwise healthy. The reason why this occurs is unclear but may be related to blood vessel damage and increased inflammation that occurs during the preeclamptic pregnancy and persists postpartum. The purpose of this investigation is to 1) determine the mechanisms contributing to this lasting blood vessel damage and chronic inflammation, and to 2) identify factors (both physiological and pharmacological) that mitigate these negative effects in order to inform better clinical management of cardiovascular disease risk in women who have had preeclampsia.