Anti-hypertensives in pregnancy 🤰🏻
✏️ Hypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg. Chronic hypertension occurs before pregnancy or before 20 weeks gestation and gestational hypertension occurs after 20 weeks
⚠️ Complications of high blood pressure include increased risks for preeclampsia/eclampsia/stroke for the mother and preterm delivery for the baby
📖 As with most medications in pregnancy, antihypertensives have not been evaluated in robust randomized controlled trials. Check out the post for the preferred anti-hypertensive drugs used in pregnancy.
⭐ Methyldopa is recommended first-line due to its proven safe and effective use in pregnancy due to its long history of safety in pregnancy but its use in clinical practice may be less due to adverse reactions (e.g., fatigue, dizziness).