Pravastatin Attenuates Hypertension, Oxidative Stress, and Angiogenic Imbalance in Rat Model of Placental Ischemia-Induced Hypertension

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific condition characterized by an imbalance of circulating angiogenic factors and new-onset hypertension. Although current treatment options are limited, recent studies suggest that pravastatin may improve angiogenic profile and reduce blood pressure in preeclampsia. We hypothesized pravastatin would restore angiogenic balance and reduce mean arterial pressure (MAP) in rats with reduced utero-placental perfusion pressure (RUPP)-induced hypertension. Pravastatin was administered intraperitoneally (1 mg/kg per day) in RUPP (RUPP+P) and normal pregnant rats (NP+P) from day 14 to 19 of pregnancy. On day 19, MAP was measured via catheter, conceptus data were recorded, and tissues collected. MAP was increased ( P P