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Use of antihypertensive drugs during pregnancy and lactation

Firas A Ghanem1, Assad Movahed

  • 1Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, USA.

Cardiovascular Therapeutics
|May 10, 2008
PubMed

The decision to treat elevated arterial pressure in pregnancy depends on the risk and benefits imposed on the mother and the fetus. Treatment for mild-to-moderate hypertension during pregnancy may not reduce maternal or fetal risk. Severe hypertension, on the other hand, should be treated to decrease maternal risk. Methyldopa and beta-adrenoceptor antagonists have been used most extensively. In acute severe hypertension, intravenous labetalol or oral nifedipine are reasonable choices.

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