The prevalence of chronic hypertension during pregnancy in the U.S. doubled between 2008 and 2021, as reported in a recent study.
Despite this increase, treatment rates for chronic hypertension among pregnant individuals have remained relatively stable, emphasizing the importance of adhering to clinical guidelines.
Published in Hypertension, the study analyzed data from the Merative™ Marketscan® Research Database, which includes U.S. commercial insurance claims from 2007 to 2021. The study assessed the prevalence of chronic hypertension during pregnancy and the use of oral antihypertensive medications over time. Interrupted time series analyses evaluated changes in these outcomes following the 2017 hypertension guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA).
Key Findings:
- The prevalence of chronic hypertension during pregnancy increased from 1.8% to 3.7% among 1,900,196 pregnancies between 2008 and 2021.
- Antihypertensive medication use among pregnant individuals with chronic hypertension remained stable, ranging from 57% to 60%.
- The proportion of pregnant participants treated with methyldopa or hydrochlorothiazide decreased (from 29% to 2% and 11% to 5%, respectively), while the use of labetalol and nifedipine increased (from 19% to 42% and 9% to 17%, respectively).
- No significant changes in the prevalence or treatment of chronic hypertension were observed following the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guidelines.
Limitations:
- The study relied on insurance claims data, which only captured filled prescriptions, not actual medication adherence.
- Blood pressure measurements were not included in the database; chronic hypertension status was assessed based on diagnosis codes.
The study provides additional details on co-authors, disclosures, and funding sources.
