An obstetrician must be consulted regarding the initial management of a woman with preeclampsia. Any such admission ought to be made to an obstetric inpatient floor. The specialist's familiarity with the complications of pregnancy and their treatment makes him or her uniquely suited to make decisions regarding antihypertensive and anticonvulsant therapies. Hydralazine is the antihypertensive of choice. Seizures remain a great concern for any patient with preeclampsia.
Magnesium sulfate is the first-line therapy for seizures because it prevents vascular spasm.
The prevention of vasospasm in the brain is believed to be protective against seizures. Antihypertensives - Hydralazine is the drug of choice for blood pressure control in preeclampsia. However, parenteral hydralazine is only provided to pharmacists via a special emergency request. Therefore, one must be comfortable in utilizing other antihypertensive agents when hydralazine is not immediately available. Decreases systemic resistance through direct vasodilation of arterioles resulting in reflex tachycardia.