Understanding Preeclampsia and Eclampsia

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Eclampsia is considered a complication of severe preeclampsia, most commonly defined as new onset of grand mal seizure activity accompanied by unexplained coma during pregnancy or postpartum in a woman. It normally occurs during or after the 20th week of gestation or in the postpartum period. The clinical manifestations of preeclampsia are hypertension and proteinuria. There is also a fetal manifestation of preeclampsia encompassing fetal growth restriction, reduced amniotic fluid, and abnormal fetal oxygenation. HELLP syndrome is a severe form of preeclampsia and involves hemolytic anemia, elevated liver function tests and low platelet count. Multiparous women with eclampsia are at a greater risk for the development of essential hypertension; they also have a higher mortality rate in subsequent pregnancies than do primiparous women.

When looking at the pathophysiology of eclampsia, many uterovascular changes happen when a woman is pregnant. It is believed that these variations are due to the interaction amid fetal and maternal allografts and result in systemic and local vascular changes. In patients with eclampsia, it has been shown that the uteroplacental arteries are hindered. The belief is that in eclampsia there is abnormal cerebral blood flow in the situation of extreme hypertension. The regulation of cerebral perfusion is repressed, vessels become dilated with increased permeability, and cerebral edema occurs, resulting in ischemia and encephalopathy. If hypertension becomes extreme normal compensatory vasoconstriction may become defective. Autopsy findings have support this finding and consistently disclose swelling and fibrinoid necrosis of vessel walls. Furthermore, endothelial dysfunction has proven to be increased i...

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...elivery, the nurse is responsible for caring for both the mother and baby. The nurses understanding of the maternal and fetal effects of preeclampsia will assist in performing thorough assessments. The nursing management of a patient with preeclampsia will be a key factor in the outcome for both mother and baby (Nursing211 2007).

Works Cited

Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, (2010) Maternity Nursing, 8th.: Evolve

Mayo clinic, (2011). Preeclampsia. Retrieved from

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/preeclampsia/ds00583/dsection=complications

Nursing211, (2007). Preeclamptic Client: Nursing Strategies and their Disadvantages. Retrieved from

http://nurs211f07researchfinal.blogspot.com/2007/11/preeclamptic-client-nursing-strategies.html

Ross, M. MD (2011). Eclampsia, Medscape reference. Retrieved from

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/253960-overview#a1

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