Changes in fetal and maternal Doppler parameters observed during acute severe hypertension treatment with hydralazine or labetalol: a randomized controlled trial.

Author(s): Baggio MR, Martins WP, Calderon AC, Berezowski AT, Marcolin AC, Duarte G, Cavalli RC

Affiliation(s): Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetricia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de Sao Paulo (DGO-FMRP-USP), Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Publication date & source: 2011-01, Ultrasound Med Biol., 37(1):53-8. Epub 2010 Nov 16.

Publication type: Randomized Controlled Trial

We evaluated 16 pregnant women with gestational age between 20 and 32 weeks in acute severe hypertension which were randomly allocated to receive either hydralazine or labetalol. Blood pressure and Doppler ultrasound parameters from maternal uterine and fetal middle cerebral and umbilical arteries were assessed during acute severe hypertension and after treatment. A significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed in both groups. A significant change in Doppler parameters was observed only in pregnant women who received hydralazine: an increase in uterine arteries resistance index. We concluded that both drugs were highly effective in reducing blood pressure in these women. Despite the observed increase in resistance index of uterine arteries associated with hydralazine, the use of hydralazine and labetalol were not related to any significant changes in fetal Doppler, which is reassuring about the safety of these drugs when treating acute severe hypertension in pregnancy. Copyright (c) 2011 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.