Hypertension in pregnancy - Prevention, Management of mild hypertension

Prevention:
Diet & exercise: Aerobic exercise, protien supplementation, decreased salt intake, Mg, Zn supplementation etc proven to be limited value.
Calcium intake of 1 g/ d found to have 30% reduction in risk of preeclampsia.
Low dose of aspirin may help.

 Management:
Confirmation of diagnosis. Evaluation of maternal, fetal condition. Management
 until complete recovery occurs after delivery.

Mild hypertension:
Advised rest & BP monitoring at home.

Can be managed in outpatient basis.
Weekly or 2 weekly checkups to detect signs & symptoms of severe preeclampsia.
Hospitalization in women with new onset preeclampsia for initial evaluation.
Subsequent management may be continued from clinic if condition is stable.
No clear evidence of benefit of antihypertensive therapy in redusing risk of severe HTN.
If pregnancy is 37wks or more, elective induction of labour should be performed particularly if there is accompanying proteinuria.
When HTN develops earlier, if possible the pregnancy may be continued upto 37wks with close maternal & fetal monitoring to ensure adequate growth & maturity of the child.


-Hypertension in pregnancy-classification
-Hypertension in pregnancy-gestational hypertension
-Preeclampsia
-Eclampsia, preeclamsia superimposed on chronic hypertension
-Chronic hypertension
-Hypertension in pregnancy-etiology and pathogenesis
-Pathology
-Mild hypertension in pregnancy-prevention and management
-Severe hypertension in pregnancy-management
-Severe preeclampsia in pregnancy-management
-Complications of hypertension
-Antihypertensive therapy- centrally acting drugs
-Antihypertensive therapy-beta blockers, calcium channel blockers
-Antihypertensive therapy-alpha blockers, vasodilator, diuretics, ACE inhibitors
-Acute severe hypertension - treatment
-Eclampsia - signs and symptoms
-Eclampsia - management