Abstract

AN OPEN LABEL, PROSPECTIVE, SINGLE CENTER STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF METHYLDOPA & LABETALOL IN TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION.

Dr. Deepanjali Lomte*

ABSTRACT

Background: Pregnancy-induced hypertension is associated with various adverse fetal and maternal outcomes. The use of anti-hypertensive drugs in pregnancy is controversial. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the comparative effectiveness and safety of methyldopa and labetalol monotherapy in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Objective: To compare the efficacy & safety of Methyldopa and Labetalol on Blood pressure in Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) patients. Methods: Patients n= 60 pregnant women with blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or more with ≥1+ proteinuria and gestational age between 20-38 weeks were included in this prospective study. Cases were randomly divided into two groups of 30 each. Group –I received methyldopa (n=30) and Group II received labetalol (n=30). Blood pressure was measured at 0, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h of initiation of antihypertensive drugs. Patients were also followed up for development of adverse drug effects during this period. Results: Antihypertensive treatment with methyldopa was associated with reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 50 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 30 mmHg at 72 h. For the same period treatment with labetalol was associated with reduction in SBP by 70 mmHg and DBP by 36 mmHg at 72 h. Conclusions: Labetalol was more effective than methyldopa in controlling blood pressure in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Keywords: Antihypertensive, Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), Pre- eclampsia, Methyldopa, Labetalol.