Hydralazine was the most common drug for others to be evaluated against .
Diazoxide , given as 75 mg bolus injections , appears to be associated with maternal hypotension requiring treatment , and ketanserin is less effective than hydralazine at reducing blood pressure .
There is no other clear evidence that any one of the other antihypertensive agents is better than another for women with severe hypertension during pregnancy .
Exceptions are diazoxide and ketanserin , which are probably not good choices
BACKGROUND Very high blood pressure during pregnancy poses a serious threat to women and their babies .
The use of drugs to lower blood pressure will reduce this risk for the women , and possibly also for the baby .
OBJECTIVES The objective of this review was to compare different antihypertensive drugs used for treatment of severe hypertension during pregnancy .
An open trial comparing isradipine with hydralazine and methyl dopa in the treatment of patients with severe pre-eclampsia.
Placental blood flow is decreased in pre-eclampsia and is worsened by decreasing blood pressure . Hydralazine , which causes vasodilatation , does not affect placental bed vessels . Calcium channel blockers ( like isradipine ) are vasodilators that do affect placental bed vessels and should improve blood flow even while decreasing blood pressure . The aim of the study was to determine if isradipine ( parenteral and oral ) was better than parenteral hydralazine and oral methyl dopa in severe pre-eclampsia in achieving better control of blood pressure . The study was a prospect i ve r and omised trial performed at The University Hospital of the West Indies . The sample consisted of 39 women with severe pre-eclampsia . Variables examined consisted of blood pressure before and after treatment , the increment in gestational age at delivery related to treatment , fetal Apgar score and birth weight . There were no significant differences in any of these variables between the two groups . Isradipine was as effective as hydralazine in reducing maternal blood pressure and in prolonging pregnancy
Hydralazine was the most common drug for others to be evaluated against .
Diazoxide , given as 75 mg bolus injections , appears to be associated with maternal hypotension requiring treatment , and ketanserin is less effective than hydralazine at reducing blood pressure .
There is no other clear evidence that any one of the other antihypertensive agents is better than another for women with severe hypertension during pregnancy .
Exceptions are diazoxide and ketanserin , which are probably not good choices
BACKGROUND Very high blood pressure during pregnancy poses a serious threat to women and their babies .
The use of drugs to lower blood pressure will reduce this risk for the women , and possibly also for the baby .
OBJECTIVES The objective of this review was to compare different antihypertensive drugs used for treatment of severe hypertension during pregnancy .