Journal article
Vascular Endothelial Function Is Preserved in Women With a History of Preeclampsia Currently Receiving Antidepressant Pharmacotherapy
American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology
01/14/2026
DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00890.2025
PMID: 41533366
Abstract
Women with a history of preeclampsia (hxPE) have elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, likely in part from reduced endothelial function. Preeclampsia is also associated with increased risk of depression. While evidence indicates that antidepressant pharmacotherapy may have vasculoprotective effects, it is unclear whether it preserves endothelial function in women with hxPE. We hypothesized that antidepressant-treated women with hxPE would have preserved endothelial function compared with unmedicated women with hxPE. Ten women with hxPE currently treated with an antidepressant (hxPE+AD), 10 not treated (hxPE−AD), and 10 unmedicated women with a history of uncomplicated pregnancy (HC) participated. Macrovascular endothelial function was measured via brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Microvascular endothelial function and the nitric oxide (NO) component were assessed via cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC, %max) responses to graded infusions of acetylcholine (10-10-10-1M) alone or with 15mM NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester [L-NAME; NO-synthase-inhibitor], respectively. Relative and absolute FMD in hxPE−AD were lower compared with HC (5.7±0.3% vs. 7.5±0.3%, P=0.02; 0.18±0.01mm vs. 0.23±0.01mm, P=0.02) and hxPE+AD (vs. 7.2±0.6% and 0.23±0.02mm, both P≤0.047). hxPE−AD had reduced microvascular endothelium-dependent vasodilation responses to acetylcholine compared with HC (10-5 to 10-2M, P=0.017). Peak CVC in hxPE−AD was lower than HC (82.0±2.9%max vs. 96.2±2.0%max, P<0.01) and hxPE+AD (vs. 92.3±3.4%max, P=0.04). L-NAME reduced microvascular dilation in all groups (P<0.001). NO-dependent dilation did not differ among groups (P=0.07). Collectively, macrovascular and microvascular endothelial function in hxPE+AD was greater than hxPE−AD and did not differ from HC, suggesting that antidepressant pharmacotherapy may preserve endothelial function in women with hxPE.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Vascular Endothelial Function Is Preserved in Women With a History of Preeclampsia Currently Receiving Antidepressant Pharmacotherapy
- Creators
- Ruda Lee - University of IowaJody L Greaney - University of DelawareMark K Santillan - University of IowaGary L Pierce - University of IowaAnna E Stanhewicz - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology
- DOI
- 10.1152/ajpheart.00890.2025
- PMID
- 41533366
- NLM abbreviation
- Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol
- ISSN
- 1522-1539
- eISSN
- 1522-1539
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Grant note
- 937990 / American Heart Association (AHA) UL1TR002537 / HHS | NIH | National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 01/14/2026
- Academic Unit
- Obstetrics and Gynecology; Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center; Health, Sport, and Human Physiology ; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9985121502002771
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