[Therapy of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia]

1. From 1976 to 1980 858 patients with late gestoses were treated at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Wilhelm-Pieck-University of Rostock (6,9% from 12.519 deliveries). 2. The principles of therapy with appropriate dosage of drugs are discussed in comparison to other countries. 3. The sedative-anticonvulsive therapy of severe preeclampsia is based mainly on magnesium sulfate used both in the USA and in our clinic, but seldom in Sweden. In England the basic principles of the sedative therapy are benzodiazepines. 4. In treatment of preeclampsia antihypertensive drugs are usually applied only above blood pressure values of 160/110 mmHg. 5. Hydralazine is preferred in our clinic like in the USA, in England methyldopa and beta-blocking agents. Diazoxide is said to be the drug of choice in acute hypertensive crisis. 6. Since many years in severe cases with hemoconcentration we prefer a short-term plasma volume expansion by hypertonic osmotically and oncotically active solutions. This osmoonco-therapy may be applied before or simultaneously with the administration of antihypertensive drugs. But there are controversies in this mode of treatment. 7. In our clinic the maternal mortality of 79 eclampsias was 2,25% from 1959 to 1980.