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 .
Efficacy and safety of nifedipine tablets for the acute treatment of severe hypertension in pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine whether the slower- and longer-acting nifedipine tablets were as effective and safe as the rapid onset and short-acting nifedipine capsules for the treatment of acute severe hypertension in pregnancy . STUDY DESIGN Sixty-four women in the second half of pregnancy who were not in labor r and omly received 10 mg nifedipine tablets ( n = 55 studies ) or 10 mg nifedipine capsules ( n = 74 studies ) if blood pressure was > or = 170/110 mm Hg . Blood pressure , heart rate , and cardiotocography were monitored over the subsequent 90 minutes . Successful treatment was a target blood pressure of 110 to 169/80 to 109 mm Hg after 90 minutes ; unsuccessful treatment included fetal distress at any stage , the requirement for additional treatment ( intravenous hydralazine ) , or the development of hypotension by 90 minutes after treatment . RESULTS Nifedipine capsules lowered blood pressure further ( 28/19 vs 21/13 mm Hg ; P = .03 ) than nifedipine tablets , but more than three quarters of each group had a successful treatment . Twice as many women ( 28 % ) who received nifedipine tablets required a second dose to achieve successful treatment ( P = .05 ) , but fewer women had hypotensive episodes ( P = .001 ) . Fetal distress was uncommon in both groups ( 3%-4 % ) , and both groups were delivered an average of 4 days after the study . CONCLUSION Nifedipine tablets , although of slower onset , are as effective as nifedipine capsules for the rapid treatment of severe hypertension in 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 .