Institute researchers present at CDC’s Million Hearts Hypertension in Pregnancy Action Forum

On November 13, 2024, Institute researchers presented a study at the CDC’s Million Hearts Hypertension in Pregnancy Action Forum. The presentation, by Dr. Aimee Smith, DO, Dr. Noreen Singh, MD, and Saskia Shuman, MHS, focused on effective ways to prevent preeclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and is the second most common cause of maternal mortality worldwide.

The title of the presentation was “Missed Opportunities in Aspirin Prescribing: Interventions and Next Steps,” and focused on efforts to better identify pregnant patients at risk for preeclampsia, who could benefit from taking a low-dose aspirin during pregnancy. The research found that only 39% of patients at risk for preeclampsia had received a prescription for low-dose aspirin.  In response, the team developed a standardized screening tool, the Care Pathway, within the Institute’s electronic health record. The tool can be used to systematically identify all eligible patients and alert care teams when new risk factors emerge during a person’s pregnancy. This model has significantly improved aspirin prescribing rates at the Institute, and can be adapted by other healthcare practices to prevent preeclampsia in their patients.

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