PET is classifi ed as mild, moderate, or severe. Severe pre-eclampsia is defi ned as one of the following: (a) severe hypertension (systolic blood pressure of greater than 160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure of greater than 110 mm Hg), (b) proteinuria of greater than 5 g per 24 hours, (c) oliguria of less than 400 mL per 24 hours, (d) cerebral irritability, (e) epigastric or right upper quadrant pain (liver capsule distension), or (f ) pulmonary edema. PET is associated with signifi cant morbidity and mortality, for the mother and fetus. PET usually resolves following delivery of the fetus but may manifest postpartum. A variety of antihypertensive agents, including hydralazine, labetalol, sodium nitroprusside, alpha blockers, calcium channel blockers, and methyl dopa, have been advocated in PET. Hydralazine and labetalol are the most widely used of these in the critical care setting. Hydralazine is administered by slow intravenous injection: fi rst with 5 mg intravenously and repeated at 20-minute intervals (5 to 10 mg depending on the response). Once blood pressure control is achieved, hydrala zine can be repeated as needed (usually about every 3 hours). Labetolol is started at 20 mg intravenously as a bolus, and the dose is doubled every 10 minutes until blood pressure is under control. Th e maximum dose is 220 mg. Magnesium is usually co-administered to provide vaso dila tation and prevent seizures. Care should be taken with fl uid resuscitation because of the risk of pulmonary edema. Eclampsia is an extreme complication of PET and is defi ned by the occurrence of seizures in the absence of other neurologic disorders. Up to 40% of seizures occur following delivery. Convulsions are believed to result from severe intracranial vasospasm, local ischemia, intracranial hypertension, and endothelial dysfunction associated with vasogenic and cytotoxic edema. Seizures tend to be self-limiting, and status epilepticus is unusual. Magnesium sulphate (MgSO 4 ) is superior to phenytoin and benzodiazepines in the prevention of recurrent eclamptic seizures [8] . Magnesium toxicity is rare in the absence of renal failure. Respiratory arrest caused by magnesium toxicity can be reversed with calcium. While traditionally the mortality from eclampsia has been high, death is now uncommon, and much of the mortality is attributable to hepatic complications, including hepatic failure, hemorrhage, or infarction [9] .