Does pregnancy-induced hypertension affect the electrophysiology of the heart?

Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIHT) increases both maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity in pregnant women. We sought to investigate the electrocardiographic findings in pregnant women with PIHT. Seventeen pregnant women (29.4 +/- 5 years) with PIHT and 24 pregnant women (27.3 +/- 6.1 years) with normal blood pressure (control group) were included in the study. A 12-lead surface electrocardiogram was used to evaluate the electrocardiographic parameters. Pregnant women with PIHT had higher blood pressure (p = 0.001). The Tp-e interval was longer in PIHT pregnant women at 83.5 +/- 7.8 ms versus 75.8 +/- 8.4 ms in the control group (p = 0.007). The Tp-e/QTc ratio was higher in pregnant women with PIHT than that in healthy controls (0.19 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.18 +/- 0.02, respectively). This study demonstrated that Pd, QTd and the P wave durations were similar in the PIHT pregnant women and control group, but the Tp-e and Tp-e/QTc ratio were higher in pregnant women with PIHT than in normotensive pregnant women.