Comparison of oral nifedipine with intravenous hydralazine for acute hypertensive emergencies of pregnancy

Objective: to compare oral nifedipine with intravenous hydralazine in their rapidity to control hypertensive emergencies of pregnancy. methodology: it was a comparative study,done in gynae c unit,lady reading hospital,peshawar. the study included hundred patients with severe gestational hypertension ≥160/110 mmhg,randomly assigned to two groups (one given intravenous hydralazine and the other oral nifedipine) to achieve a blood pressure (bp) of ≤150/100 mmhg. bp was measured every 15 minutes for one hour. side effects were noted in terms of maternal headache and hypotension and fetal heart rate. results: both drugs controlled bp in the given time period but hydralazine was more efficacious in terms of time and doses. the time required by hydralazine was 41.10�20.286 minutes as compared to nifidipine was 57.90�21.855 with a significant p value of 0.000. few doses were required to control bp in case of hydralazine 2.74�1.35 as compared to nifidipine which was 3.86�1.45 with a significant ‘p’ value of 0.000. conclusion: the use of either hydralazine or nifidipine controlled bp in the target time period but hydralazine was more efficacious. � 2016,postgraduate medical institute. all rights reserved.