Drugs in pregnancy. Cardiovascular disease

This chapter reviews the therapeutic armamentarium available for the treatment of cardiovascular disease during pregnancy. The management does not differ markedly from that of the non-pregnant population. Few drugs are absolutely contraindicated, although, for many, safety data are limited and caution is recommended. The potential risks to the fetus must be weighed against maternal benefit and the well-being of the pregnancy. Women of childbearing age requiring long-term medication should be offered pre-pregnancy counselling, and other non-pharmacological avenues, such as radio-frequency ablation for supraventricular arrhythmias, should be explored.