What causes proteinuria in preeclampsia?

[expert on call]

What causes proteinuria in preeclampsia?

[expert on call]

Preeclampsia is felt to be a disease of the cells that line your blood vessels - endothelial cells. These cells have a number of functions: 1) they help regulate blood pressure by controlling the tone of the muscle around the small arteries; 2) they help keep blood from clotting in the small vessels by secreting anticoagulant substances along their surface, and 3) they seal the vessel wall so that the plasma proteins remain inside the blood vessel rather than leaking out. These plasma are important in preventing fluid from leaking out of the vessel and forming edema in the tissues.

When the endothelium is damaged in the small filters in the kidney, protein leaks out of the blood stream and into the urine.

Information provided on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disorder, or prescribing any medication. The Preeclampsia Foundation presents all data as is, without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, and is not liable for its accuracy, for mistakes or omissions of any kind, nor for any loss or damage caused by a user's reliance on information obtained on the site. Professional opinions on this condition vary greatly. The Preeclampsia Foundation endorses no one course of treatment or "cure". Responses generated by our Experts to specific questions are based on information anonymously submitted to this site via email, are not based on a complete review of any patient’s medical records and should not be construed as the only reasonable expert response to the info submitted and/or the scenario described.