Preeclampsia is a specific complication of late pregnancy (after 20 weeks), when arterial hypertension (BP ≥140/90 mm Hg), proteinuria (≥0.3 g/l per 24 hrs) and edema first appear accompanied by polyorganic and polysystemic disorders caused by damage of vascular epithelium with development of endo-thelial dysfunction.
Eclampsia is an attack of seizures (or a series of seizure attacks) occurring in the presence of preeclampsia and in absence of other causes (epilepsy, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral tumor). The main precursors of eclampsia are headaches, vision disturbance, pains in the right subcostal area or epigastric area, seizure tendency. In 30% of cases, eclampsia develops suddenly, without precursors, but always preceded by severe preeclampsia.
Classification of eclampsia:
► eclampsia in pregnancy;
► eclampsia in labor;
► eclampsia in postpartum period (in the first 24-72 hrs)
► late eclampsia (within 28 days from delivery).
Preeclampsia in the presence of chronic arterial hypertension is diagnosed, if after 20 weeks gestation, there is newly diagnosed proteinuria (≥0.3 g protein in daily urine) or an increase of proteinuria existing before 20 weeks, with hypertension pre-existing before pregnancy; a significant increase of BP is observed in women in whom it was easily controlled earlier (before 20 weeks gestation); signs of polyorganic insufficiency (oliguria, elevated blood serum creatinine, thrombocytopenia, hemolysis of erythrocytes, AST, ALT increase).