title: Nifedipine and platelets in preeclampsia.
abstract: In addition to its antihypertensive properties, nifedipine inhibits platelet aggregation in vitro. Because increased platelet aggregation is a feature of preeclampsia, we have investigated nifedipine in this condition. Ten women at 31 +/- 2.8 weeks gestation, with blood pressure 162 +/- 18/102 +/- 10 mmHg (despite atenolol 200 mg/day) and proteinuria 2.0 +/- 1.1 g/24 hr, were treated with nifedipine. Pregnancies were prolonged by 17 +/- 15 days (range 5 to 56). Blood pressure was controlled in eight of the ten patients, final values before delivery being 142 +/- 16/89 +/- 12 mmHg (P less than 0.02). Platelet count rose in all women from 190 +/- 80 to 261 +/- 78 X 10(9)/1 (P less than 0.001). Nifedipine appears to reverse the thrombocytopenia of pre-eclampsia, in addition to controlling the blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materia Medica, University of Glasgow, Scotland.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Butters
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McCabe
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000187:drug effects*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009543:Nifedipine