Women with a history of preeclampsia (high blood pressure/protein in the urine during pregnancy) are at increased risk of developing high blood pressure and heart problems in the 10-15 years after their baby is born. At present we do not know how to reduce this risk. Lowering blood pressure and blood lipid (fats) levels are common strategies for primary prevention of cardiovascular problems. However, most women with a history of preeclampsia in the 5-10 years after pregnancy, will have normal blood pressure readings, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.~Atorvastatin, a type of statin, is widely used in lowering lipids and preventing cardiovascular disease. This drug has beneficial actions other than lipid-lowering, that may also help prevent cardiovascular problems, including improving function in the lining of blood vessels. We know that impairment in blood vessel function is evident in women in the years after a preeclamptic pregnancy and may contribute to the risk of women after preeclampsia going on to develop cardiovascular disease.~We would like to know if giving a short course of atorvastatin to women with a history of preeclampsia improves their blood vessel function. To do this, ex-preeclamptic women will be invited to take either a atorvastatin or placebo (dummy) tablet daily for 4 weeks, then no tablets for 4 weeks, then crossover to receive the alternative tablet (placebo or atorvastatin) daily for 4 weeks. Blood vessel function would be measured using specialised noninvasive scans and taking a blood test at the beginning and end of each treatment period. The study will be jointly run by the Departments of Cardiovascular Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.~We anticipate this study will provide valuable data to support larger clinical trials to determine whether improving blood vessel function ultimately reduces the risk of developing early-onset cardiovascular disease after preeclampsia.
The purpose of the study is to test the hypothesis that a short course of atorvastatin can improve vascular function in women with a history of preeclampsia, compared to placebo.