TITLE:
Labetalol versus Hydralazine in the Management of Severe Pre-Eclampsia at Tertiary Hospitals in a Low-Resource Setting: A Randomised Controlled Trial
AUTHORS:
Uzoma Otutoaja, Adeyemo Olabisi Timothy, Emmanuel Olumide Adewara, Olufunmilayo Victoria Adebara, Augustine Adebayo Adeniyi, Babatunde Sunday Awoyinka, Raymond Akujuobi Okere, Idowu Oluseyi Adebara, Adewumi Bakare, Mojisola Olumide Ayankunle
KEYWORDS:
Blood Pressure, Hydralazine, Labetalol, Low-Resource Setting Severe Pre-Eclampsia, Side Effects
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.13 No.6,
June
27,
2023
ABSTRACT: Objective: Intravenous labetalol and
hydralazine are both considered first-line medications for the management of
acute-onset, severe hypertension in pregnant and postpartum women. The study compared
the efficacy and safety profile of
intravenous labetalol and hydralazine in the control hypertension in severe pre-eclampsia. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients who presented with severe pre-eclampsia were randomized into two study groups. The fifty patients in each arm of the
study received either intravenous labetalol or intravenous hydralazine for the
control of blood pressure. Results: The mean age of the labetalol subjects was 28.6 ±
5.47 years while that of their hydralazine counterparts was 29.12 ± 5.77 years.
The majority of respondents in both groups were primigravidae (76% vs. 78%) (P = 0.813). The number of doses of drug needed to significantly lower the mean systolic blood pressure was slightly lower in the labetalol
group (2 doses) compared to the hydralazine group (5 doses) (t = 0.803Y, P = 0.977). The incidence of headaches which were the commonest complaints was comparable in both groups 8% and 10% of respondents respectively (P
> 0.05). Conclusion: Although both intravenous labetalol and
hydralazine are useful in patients with
severe pre-eclampsia, the response to labetalol was better with comparable side
effects.