Effect of a nitric oxide donor on the ophthalmic artery flow velocity waveform in preeclamptic women.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of an antihypertensive agent on the orbital circulation of preeclamptic women.

Methods: We studied the ophthalmic arteries of 10 healthy pregnant women and 10 women with severe preeclampsia by pulsed Doppler ultrasonography and evaluated the effect of transdermal isosorbide dinitrate, a nitric oxide donor, on preeclamptic women.

Results: The average pulsatility index and resistive index were significantly lower, whereas the average end-diastolic velocity, time-averaged mean peak velocity, and peak ratio, which quantifies characteristic changes in the ophthalmic artery flow velocity waveform, were higher in preeclamptic women. Transdermal isosorbide dinitrate significantly reduced the average end-diastolic velocity (P < .05) and peak ratio of the ophthalmic artery (P < .01), whereas it did not significantly affect other indices.

Conclusions: Orbital circulation was altered in preeclamptic women. A nitric oxide donor affected orbital circulation. Peak ratio was a sensitive index for evaluating orbital circulation in preeclampsia.