[Hypertension during pregnancy--how to manage effectively?]

Arterial hypertension affects 5-10% of all pregnant women and may be present in women with pre-existing primary or secondary chronic hypertension, and in women who develop newonset hypertension in the second half of pregnancy. Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy carry risks for the woman and the baby. Hypertension in pregnancy is diagnosed when SBP is > or = 140 or/and DBP > or = 90 mmHg. According to the guidelines, the decision to start pharmacological treatment of hypertension in pregnancy depends on the type of hypertension: in pregnancy-induced hypertension, developing after 20 weeks of pregnancy (with or without proteinuria) drug treatment is indicated when BP is > or = 140/90 mmHg, in chronic hypertension observed before pregnancy pharmacotherapy is indicated when BP is > or = 150/95 mmHg. For pregnant women with severe hypertension (> or =160 / 110 mmHg) antihypertensive therapy should be initiated immediately. Oral methyldopa, labetalol, other beta-adrenoreceptor blockers and calcium channel blockers are used most commonly. In pre-eclampsia parental labetalol, nitroglycerine, urapidyl and other drugs may also be needed.