Pharmacotherapy for hypertonia in pregnancy

The distinction between chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia is essential for the choice of the adequate pharmacotherapy. In chronic and gestional hypertension there is a positive prognosis for mot her and child. Mostly, there is no need for pharmacotherapy in gestational hypertension and in chronic hypertension pharmacotherapy is only necessary in serious cases. Particularly in chronic hypertension the application of a ntihypertension drugs allows the woman to carry the child to full term. in contrast, preeclampsia represents potential danger for mother and fetus. In this case pharmacotherapy rarely shows satisfactory results. Only frequent clinical control and a premature delivery are considered adequate measures . Methyldopa is a well known antihypertensive drug for long-term therapy. C oncerning adverse events in the mother modern antihypertensive drugs have d isadvantages in relation to but there are advantages in terms of protection for the fetus. Of methyldopa ineffective is or cannot be tolerated of the P-blocker metoprolol can be alternatively applied. In case of emergency dih ydralazine or - as as second choice - clonidine is appropriate.