Abstract

Introduction: Lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is higher in women who experience adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) including pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes. APOs are risk-enhancing factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in contemporary cholesterol guidelines. Hypothesis: History of APOs impacts consideration for lipid therapy in a significant proportion of women with borderline to intermediate CVD risk . Methods: A single center retrospective chart review of new patients who presented to the University of Florida Women’s Heart Health Clinic between July 2017 - July 2019 was performed. New female patients were routinely screened for pregnancy history with an obstetrics questionnaire, and cardiovascular history and lipid profiles were collected where available. Patients were stratified by age and calculated 10-yr risk of a cardiovascular event using the ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equation. APO history within age and risk categories in addition to pregnancy history documentation in electronic health records were then assessed. Results: Of the 182 new patients who presented to the University of Florida Women’s Heart Health Clinic between July 2017 - July 2019, average age was 49 years old and 71.3% were Caucasian. 25% of the study population had history of APO, and of patients with history of APO, only 55% had documented lipid profiles, 46% had pregnancy history documented in the obstetrics section of the electronic health record, and 17% had pregnancy history documented in their past medical history section. For patients aged 40-75 y/o with borderline-intermediate 10-yr CV event risk, risk-enhancing factors influenced consideration of potential statin therapy, with 20% of patients in the intermediate risk group having history of APO. Conclusions: Pregnancy history impacts potential statin therapy in a significant percentage of women aged 40-75 y/o with borderline-intermediate 10-yr ASCVD risk. However, APOs are often under-recognized and poorly documented as non-traditional CVD risk factors in women. Efforts to improve recognition of APOs in clinical practice should be promoted to improve CVD risk reduction efforts, particularly in young women.

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