Related Experiment Videos
Cardiovascular effects of intravaginal misoprostol in the mid trimester of pregnancy
P S Ramsey1, B B Hogg, K G Savage
1Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35233, USA.
Objective:
Our aim was to evaluate the cardiovascular effects of high-dose intravaginal misoprostol administration by means of transthoracic electrical bioimpedance monitoring.
Study Design:
Healthy women undergoing mid trimester pregnancy interruption with intravaginal misoprostol were eligible for this prospective observational study. Baseline blood pressure was obtained for 1 hour and transthoracic electrical bioimpedance monitoring was performed before misoprostol administration, 600 microg vaginally. Posttreatment assessments were made every 15 minutes for a total of 4 hours, with patients in a left lateral recumbent position. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, stroke index, systemic vascular resistance index, and end-diastolic volume index were determined. Measurements were averaged for 30-minute intervals and reported as mean +/- SD. Statistical analyses included the paired t test and repeated-measures analysis of variance.
Results:
Nine women consented to have transthoracic electrical bioimpedance monitoring, and no statistically significant changes in any of the measured cardiac parameters for the 4-hour monitoring interval were noted. Direct comparisons between the pretreatment and 2-hour posttreatment intervals (reported time peak of blood misoprostol levels) also revealed no significant differences in the cardiovascular index values.
Conclusion:
High-dose intravaginal misoprostol in the mid trimester does not alter maternal cardiac function as measured by transthoracic electrical bioimpedance.