The Role of Platelet-Activating Factor and Magnesium in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Is There Crosstalk between Pre-Eclampsia, Clinical Hypertension, and HELLP Syndrome?

Clinical hypertension is a complex disease of the cardiovascular system that can affect the body's ability to physiologically maintain homeostasis. Blood pressure is measured as systolic pressure of the heart and diastolic pressure. When the systolic pressure exceeds values of 130-139 and diastolic exceeds 80-89, the body is in stage 1 hypertension. A pregnant woman with hypertension is predisposed to developing pre-eclampsia during gestation between the 1st and 2nd trimester. If the symptoms and changes in the mother's body are not controlled, this can progress to hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count also known as HELLP syndrome. The onset of HELLP syndrome generally begins before the 37th week of pregnancy. Magnesium is one of the most used cations in clinical medicine with various implications in the body. With a critical role in vascular smooth muscle, endothelium, and myocardial excitability it is used in treatment of clinical hypertension, pre-eclampsia in gestational periods, and HELLP syndrome. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an endogenous phospholipid proinflammatory mediator that is released in response to various biological and environmental stressors. When released it causes platelets to aggregate, further exacerbating hypertension. The purpose of this literature review is to investigate the role that magnesium and platelet-activating factors have on clinical hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome while focusing on the interplay between these molecules.

Automated summary

Clinical hypertension is a complex cardiovascular disease that affects the body's ability to maintain homeostasis. High blood pressure is classified as systolic pressure above 130-139 and diastolic pressure above 80-89, indicating stage 1 hypertension. Pregnant women with hypertension are at risk of developing pre-eclampsia, which can progress to HELLP syndrome if not controlled. Magnesium is commonly used in the treatment of clinical hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome due to its role in vascular smooth muscle and myocardial excitability. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) exacerbates hypertension by causing platelet aggregation.