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Management Considerations for Lipid Disorders During Pregnancy

  • Reproductive Health and Cardiovascular Disease (G Sharma, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of review

Dyslipidemias including familial hypercholesterolemia and elevated lipoprotein (a) are not uncommon in young women who may desire pregnancy. In all women, abnormal lipid metabolism has been linked to adverse outcomes during pregnancy, including hypertensive disease of pregnancy, gestational diabetes mellitus, and preterm birth. Optimal management of dyslipidemias in pregnant women remains undefined, as statins are contraindicated in this group.

Recent findings

Recent literature questions this traditional avoidance of statins, however, as well as explores their potential benefit in pre-eclampsia specifically.

Summary

In this review, the arsenal of nutrition, bile acid resins, omega-3 fatty acids, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol apheresis is explored, as are newer therapies like mipomersen and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors, for the management of dyslipidemias during pregnancy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emory Women’s Heart Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Lakshmi S. Tummala MD & Gina Lundberg MD

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, 49 Jesse Hill Jr Dr SE, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA

    Lakshmi S. Tummala MD

  3. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Akanksha Agrawal MD

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Correspondence to Lakshmi S. Tummala MD.

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Tummala, L.S., Agrawal, A. & Lundberg, G. Management Considerations for Lipid Disorders During Pregnancy. Curr Treat Options Cardio Med 23, 50 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11936-021-00926-1

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