The relationship of a family history for hypertension, myocardial infarction, or stroke with cardiovascular physiology in young women.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and preeclampsia share several pathophysiologic risk factors. We examined family history (FH) and physiologic status in 60 healthy, nulliparous women to determine the relationship between FH and known risk factors for CVD. Data are presented as mean ± standard error (SE). Decreased uterine blood flow was observed in women with FH of hypertension (+FH: 21.5 ± 1.7, no FH: 33.3 ± 9.0 mL/min; P = .04). Women reporting an FH of stroke showed increased alpha- and beta-adrenergic response, as measured by Valsalva maneuver (α: FH: 24.7 ± 1.9, -FH: 18.9 ± 1.1 mm Hg, P = .02; β: FH: 22.0 ± 2.1, -FH: 16.9 ± 1.4 mm Hg; P = .04), and increased cardiac output (4.83 ± 0.22 vs 4.31 ± 0.12 L/min; P = .01). We identified no significant physiologic associations linked to an FH of myocardial infarction. Our observations show significant differences in physiologic characteristics in women with specific CVD family histories. These data, coupled with known heritable contributions to CVD and preeclampsia, suggest a distinct physiologic phenotype that may link preeclampsia risk with FH of CVD, independent of pregnancy.