Beta-blockers appear to be no more effective and probably equally as safe .
It is unusual for women to change drugs due to side effects .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Improvement in control of maternal blood pressure with use of beta-blockers would be worthwhile only if it were reflected in substantive benefits for mother and /or baby , and none have been clearly demonstrated .
Large r and omised trials are needed to determine whether antihypertensive therapy in general ( rather than beta-blocker therapy specifically ) results in greater benefit than risk , for treatment of mild-moderate pregnancy hypertension .
BACKGROUND Antihypertensives , such as beta-blockers , are used for pregnancy hypertension in the belief these will improve outcome for mother and baby .
OBJECTIVES To assess whether oral beta-blockers are better than placebo , or no beta-blocker , and have advantages over other antihypertensives , for women with mild to moderate pregnancy hypertension .
Glycemia in newborns of hypertensive mothers according to maternal treatment.
PURPOSE To evaluate the evolution of glycemic levels in newborns of hypertensive mothers according to maternal treatment . METHODS Prospect i ve r and omized study , including 93 newborns of mothers treated with isradipine ( n = 39 ) , atenolol ( n = 40 ) , or low sodium diet ( control group - n=14 ) . Glycemia was determined at birth ( mother and newborn by the oxidase glucose method ) and in the 1st , 3rd , 6th , 12th , and 24th hours after birth ( newborn by a test strip method ) . The evolution of glycemia was analyzed in each group ( Friedman test ) . The groups were compared regarding glycemia ( Kruskall-Wallis test ) , and linear regression models were constructed for the analyses ( independent variable = maternal glycemia ; dependent variables = umbilical cord , 3rd , and 6th hour glycemia ) . RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences among the mean blood glucose levels of the 3 groups in any of the assessment s. There was a correlation between maternal and umbilical cord blood glucose in the isradipine ( r = 0.61 ; P < .05 ) and control ( r = 0.84 ; P < .05 ) groups . Regarding glycemia levels of the mothers and newborns in the third and sixth hours postpartum , this correlation was present only in the control group ( maternal x third hour : r = 0.65 ; P < .05 ; maternal x sixth hour : r = 0.68 ; P < .05 ) . There were no correlations in the atenolol group . Hypoglycemia was detected in 51.3 % of the isradipine group , 60 % of the atenolol group , and 35.7 % of the control group , and it was more frequent in the first hour postpartum in all groups . CONCLUSIONS The results suggest a similar effect of the 3 types of treatment upon newborn glycemia . The correlation analysis suggests that isradipine could have effects upon newborn glycemia only after birth ( correlation only in umbilical cord blood ) , whereas atenolol could act earlier ( there was no correlation at any moment ) . The results also point to the need for glycemic control from the first hour postpartum of newborns of hypertensive mothers whether they have or have not undergone treatment with antihypertensive drugs
Beta-blockers appear to be no more effective and probably equally as safe .
It is unusual for women to change drugs due to side effects .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Improvement in control of maternal blood pressure with use of beta-blockers would be worthwhile only if it were reflected in substantive benefits for mother and /or baby , and none have been clearly demonstrated .
Large r and omised trials are needed to determine whether antihypertensive therapy in general ( rather than beta-blocker therapy specifically ) results in greater benefit than risk , for treatment of mild-moderate pregnancy hypertension .
BACKGROUND Antihypertensives , such as beta-blockers , are used for pregnancy hypertension in the belief these will improve outcome for mother and baby .
OBJECTIVES To assess whether oral beta-blockers are better than placebo , or no beta-blocker , and have advantages over other antihypertensives , for women with mild to moderate pregnancy hypertension .