Preeclampsia (document en anglais)

Care Plan for Preeclampsia

Tida Good

NURS 545: Women’s Health Nursing

United State University

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is also known as Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) or Toxemia, it is a life-threatening disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It characterized by new onset of hypertension (≥140/90), proteinuria (≥2+), and independent edema (Norwitz et al., 2002).

Preeclampsia results in 5–8% of pregnancy complications in the US and 5–14% worldwide. It is one of leading causes of pregnancy-related death in the United State, leads to 790 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births per year.

Even though preeclampsia has been diagnosed for more than one hundred years but the exact cause of preeclampsia is still unknown, the possible cause can be autoimmune disorders, blood vessel problems, diet and genetic, etc. However, general agreement that placental ischemia plays a key role in preeclampsia as shown in the following chart. [pic]

Complications

Preeclamsia can impact most organ systems causing serious complications. If left untreated the devastating sequence of events after preeclampsia is as follows: eclampsia (seizure occurs), HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, low platelet count), followed by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Other potential maternal and fetal/neonatal complications include renal failure, liver failure, cerebral hemorrhage, pulmonary edema, stroke, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), uteroplacental insufficiency, placental abruption, preterm birth, low birth weight, intrauterine fetal death, and stillbirth. “Although symptoms resolve after delivery in most women, maternal or fetal/neonatal death from complications is possible (Strayer and Schub, 2011).”

Scenario

A.R. is an 41year-old single African-American woman, gravid 1 para 0, at 36 weeks gestation. This morning in clinic she has blood pressure (BP) 145/98 mm Hg, and she has...

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