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Updated: May 21, 2026

Comprehensive Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of Placenta-Targeted Drug Delivery Using Three Complementary Methods
Published on: September 10, 2018
[Use of injectable urapidil in pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia]
1Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de l'Ouest Guyanais Franck-Joly, Saint-Laurent du Maroni Guyane, France. g.carles@ch-ouestguyane.fr
Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of injectable urapidil (Eupressyl(®)) for the treatment of severe pregnancy-associated arterial hypertension.
Materials And Methods:
We carried out a prospective study of 100 cases encompassing the various types of severe pregnancy-associated arterial hypertension, with clinical and biological monitoring of the mother and the collection of neonatal data. Treatment was initiated if the blood pressure was higher than 160/110mmHg and efficacy was defined as a lowering of blood pressure to 150/100mmHg or below.
Results:
Treatment with urapidil alone was effective in 80 cases (80%). In 20% of cases, essentially the most severe forms of preeclampsia, efficacy was achieved only if urapidil was associated with labetalol or if urapidil was replaced with nicardipine. We observed no material complications other than two cases of hypotension due to excessively rapid administration of a bolus of nicardipine to replace urapidil treatment.
Conclusion:
Injectable urapidil seems to be an antihypertensive agent that is easy to use and effective in 80% of cases and that has very few secondary effects on the mother or the foetus. Further comparative studies are required to determine the potential of this drug for use in the management of pregnancy-associated hypertension.
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