Pregnancy induced hypertension

Introduction: The hypertensive Disorders of pregnancy are major contributors tomaternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The aim of hypertensive therapy is to preventcomplications associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Objective: To compareefficacy of methyldopa and labetalol in management of pregnancy induced hypertension.Study Design: Randomized control trial. Setting: Punjab medical college and affiliatedhospitals Faisalabad. Methods: Patient were be randomly assigned to either group A or Groupby lottery method. Each group included 157 patients. In group A: labetalol was started at 100mg three or four times a day and increased up to 1200 mg a day in divided doses. In group B:methyldopa was started at 250mg per day 3 to 4 divided doses and increased up to 500 mg in 3to 4 divided doses. Blood pressure was recorded by sphygmomanometer. Blood pressure wasrecorded after 48 hours and then weekly till term on outpatient basis. Results: The treatmentof methyldopa in group I was proved to successful in lowering the mean blood pressure andmaintaining mean blood pressure within normal limits in 142 of 155 patients. It can be said itwas successful in 91.61% cases. 8.39% cases progressed to severe hypertension or eclampsiabecause methyldopa was unsuccessful to prevent progress of disease. Conclusion: It isconcluded that antihypertensive therapy such as methyldopa and labetalol are successful inlowering blood pressure in patient with pregnancy induced hypertension.