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 .
Malignant ventricular arrhythmias in eclampsia: a comparison of labetalol with dihydralazine.
OBJECTIVE Our aim was to assess the impact of beta-adrenergic blockade during the peripartum period on the previously observed high incidence of ventricular arrhythmias in eclamptic parturients . STUDY DESIGN An open , r and omized comparison of intravenous labetalol versus dihydralazine was conducted in 40 eclamptic subjects in the peripartum period .  Cardiac rhythm was assessed by blinded analysis of a 24-hour Holter record by means of the Lown classification of arrhythmias . RESULTS There was a significantly higher incidence of serious ventricular arrhythmias in patients receiving dihydralazine ( 81 % ) than in those receiving labetalol ( 17 % , p < 0.0001 ) . Patients receiving labetalol showed a significant decrease in mean heart rate ( p < 0.0001 ) , whereas patients receiving dihydralazine showed a significant increase ( p < 0.0001 ) . CONCLUSION The introduction of beta-adrenergic blockade into peripartum hypertensive management of eclampsia significantly reduced the incidence of dangerous ventricular arrhythmias . Myocardial oxygen supply/dem and ratio may be improved by beta-blockade
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 .