Research overview
Preeclampsia is a risk factor for the mother developing premature cardiovascular disease and is associated with a three to four-fold risk of developing heart failure, a devastating condition with a poor prognosis.
Recent evidence suggests two to three minutes of isometric hand grip exercise (squeezing a device at 30-40% of your best effort) can stress the heart in a similar manner to cycling exercise and may be more suited to unmask diastolic dysfunction.
We will assess isometric handgrip echocardiography (IHE) in women who have had preeclampsia with the goal of developing IHE as a suitable alternative to traditional stress echocardiography for assessing diastolic function.
The IHE test is easier for the patient, requires less clinical staff, and is more sensitive than traditional stress echocardiography at detecting early diastolic dysfunction.
Additionally, we will monitor continuous blood pressure measurement to allow for a comparison with cardiac function to determine if this may be further developed as an independent screening test.
Project researchers
Professor Luke Haseler
Funders
Women and Infants Research Foundation
Project timeline
2023 – current
