REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS It remains unclear whether antihypertensive drug therapy for mild-moderate hypertension during pregnancy is worthwhile
BACKGROUND Mild-moderate hypertension during pregnancy is common .
Antihypertensive drugs are often used in the belief that lowering blood pressure will prevent progression to more severe disease , and thereby improve outcome .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of antihypertensive drug treatments for women with mild to moderate hypertension during pregnancy .
Ketanserin versus alpha-methyldopa in the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy: a preliminary report.
The antihypertensive efficacy of acute treatment with the serotonin receptor antagonist , ketanserin , in women with preeclampsia has been recently documented . The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of chronic ketanserin treatment in a group of 20 hypertensive pregnant women : 10 received daily oral doses of ketanserin ( 20 - 80 mg ) , and 10 were treated with oral alpha-methyldopa ( 500 - 2000 mg ) . This study includes ( a ) patients with a sustained elevation of systolic blood pressure higher than 159 mm Hg and /or diastolic blood pressure higher than 99 mm Hg at bed rest , and ( b ) hypertensive patients with systolic blood pressure higher than 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure higher than 90 mm Hg with superimposed symptoms such as headaches , stomach aches , and neurological disturbances .  A significant and comparable decrease in blood pressure was noted in both groups , in relation with pretreatment levels ; no adverse affects were observed in mother or fetus from the ketanserin and alpha-methyldopa groups
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS It remains unclear whether antihypertensive drug therapy for mild-moderate hypertension during pregnancy is worthwhile
BACKGROUND Mild-moderate hypertension during pregnancy is common .
Antihypertensive drugs are often used in the belief that lowering blood pressure will prevent progression to more severe disease , and thereby improve outcome .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of antihypertensive drug treatments for women with mild to moderate hypertension during pregnancy .