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 .
[Atenolol and bisoprolol in the treatment of mild and moderately severe hypertension].
Atenolol and bisoprolol , two beta-1-selective blockers , were compared in patients with mild and medium severe hypertension . Forty patients with a diastolic blood pressure of 95 - 115 mm Hg were two weeks after discontinuation of treatment divided at r and om into two groups treated with 50 mg atenolol and 5 mg bisoprolol . If the blood pressure was not affected by this dosage , the dose was raised to 100 mg atenolol and 10 mg bisoprolol . The blood pressure readings , heart rate , side effects of the drugs , laboratory and echocardiographic values were followed up for a period of three months . The authors recorded a marked decline of pressure and heart rate after the first week of therapy , the pressure readings in an upright position did not differ statistically from values in a sitting position , orthostatic hypotension was not recorded . The rate of success of bisoprolol was 85 % , of atenolol 75 % . During treatment no serious side-effects were observed . The biochemical parameters and echocardiographic values were not altered significantly by treatment . Atenolol and bisoprolol are two effective beta-1-selective blockers with a comparable effect in the treatment of mild and medium severe hypertension . They are useful in monotherapy as well as in combination with other antihypertensive drugs . In hypertension associated with diabetes mellitus , incipient bronchopulmonary disease and pregnancy they are also indicated . They are well tolerated also by elderly patients , an advantage of bisoprolol may be that it has a smaller impact on pressure and heart rate during the night
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 .