Journal of South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Register      Login

VOLUME 17 , ISSUE 1 ( January-February, 2025 ) > List of Articles

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Intravenous Labetalol vs Oral Nifedipine in Acute Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Gayathri P Thiruppathi Raja, Kamal P Patil, Mrityunjay C Metgud, Mahadevi Savanur, Anusha Malapure, Vinutha Hanji

Keywords : Hypertension emergencies, Labetalol, Nifedipine, Pregnancy

Citation Information : Raja GP, Patil KP, Metgud MC, Savanur M, Malapure A, Hanji V. Intravenous Labetalol vs Oral Nifedipine in Acute Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J South Asian Feder Obs Gynae 2025; 17 (1):1-4.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10006-2602

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 28-03-2025

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2025; The Author(s).


Abstract

Introduction: Hypertensive problems are prevalent during pregnancy and increase the risk of other issues and long-term effects for both the mother and her unborn child. The current study aimed to test the hypothesis that pregnant women experiencing a hypertensive crisis are better treated with oral nifedipine than intravenous (IV) labetalol in terms of reaching their goal blood pressure (BP). Materials and methods: A randomized clinical trial was done with 45 participants in each group over 1 year and 2 months, group A (IV labetalol) and group B (oral nifedipine), from March 2023 to April 2024 at KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research's Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Center, Belagavi. The study included pregnant women of 20 weeks’ gestation or more with acute severe hypertension (gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and eclampsia) with systolic BP (SBP) ≥160 mm Hg and diastolic BP (DBP) ≥110 mm Hg, presenting to the labor room. Others were excluded. Results: The mean age of patients was similar in both groups (p = 0.753). Group A had primigravida patients 57.78% compared with group B with 46.67% (p-value = 0.018). The mean SBP for all patients was significantly higher in group A (168.4 ± 8.83 mm Hg) compared with group B (163.42 ± 5.07 mm Hg), with a p-value of 0.001. The mean DBP was 103.91 ± 7.05 mm Hg for group A and 100.36 ± 6.4 mm Hg for group B (p = 0.015). In group A, 22.22% of patients and a significant 92.89% of patients in group B achieved the target at 20 minutes. Regarding the number of doses, 57.78% of patients in group A required only one dose, compared with 93.33% in group B. Patients in group A required higher doses and took more time to manage BP. Conclusion: Oral nifedipine is more effective in achieving target BP faster and with fewer doses than IV labetalol.


PDF Share
  1. Lo JO, Mission JF, Caughey AB. Hypertensive disease of pregnancy and maternal mortality. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2013;25(2):124−132. DOI: 10.1097/GCO.0b013e32835e0ef5.
  2. Committee on Obstetric Practice. Committee Opinion No. 692: Emergent therapy for acute onset, severe hypertension during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Obstet Gynecol 2017;129(4):e90−e95. DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002019.
  3. Magee LA, Cham C, Waterman EJ. Hydralazine for treatment of severe hypertension in pregnancy: Meta-analysis. BMJ 2003;327(7421):955−960. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.327.7421.955.
  4. Barton J, Hiett A, Conover W. The use of nifedipine during the postpartum period in patients with severe preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1990;162:788−792. DOI: 10.1016/0002-9378(90)91011-z.
  5. Fenakel K, Fenakel G, Appelman Z, et al. Nifedipine in the treatment of severe preeclampsia. Obstet Gynecol 1991;77:331−337. PMID: 1992393.
  6. Scardo JA, Vermillion ST, Hogg B, et al. Hemodynamic effects of oral nifedipine in preeclamptic hypertensive emergencies. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;175:336−338. DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9378(96)70143-6.
  7. Raheem IA, Saaid R, Omar SZ, et al. Oral nifedipine versus intravenous labetalol for acute blood pressure control in hypertensive emergencies of pregnancy: A randomised trial. BJOG 2012;119(1):78−85. DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2011.03151.x.
  8. Kumari P, Kumari O, Pankaj S, et al. A randomized trial of intravenous labetalol versus oral nifedipine in acute blood pressure control in hypertensive emergencies of pregnancy. International Journal of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2021;5(5):237–242. DOI: 10.33545/gynae.2021.v5.i5d.1046.
  9. Zulfeen M, Tatapudi R, Sowjanya R. IV labetalol and oral nifedipine in acute control of severe hypertension in pregnancy – A randomized controlled trial. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2019;236:46−52. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2019.01.022.
  10. Dhali B, Bhattacharya S, Ganguly RP, et al. A randomized trial of intravenous labetalol and oral nifedipine in severe pregnancy induced hypertension. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol 2012;1:42−46. DOI: 10.5455/2320-1770.ijrcog001912.
  11. Alam A, Zakaria SMA. Oral nifedipine versus intravenous labetalol for acute blood pressure control in hypertensive emergencies of pregnancy: A randomized controlled trial. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol 2019;8(5):1921−1927.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.