title: How should hypertension during pregnancy be managed? An internist's approach.
abstract: Hypertension may occur during pregnancy under different clinical circumstances. One cause is toxemia, a systemic disease unique to pregnant women, in which hypertension is associated with proteinuria, CNS irritability, hepatic and renal functional abnormalities, and, in fulminant disease, a consumptive coagulopathy. Since it is clear in the non-pregnant population that the vascular complications of hypertension can be prevented with antihypertensive therapy and since toxemia is the most common cause of maternal mortality, there is no reason not to treat pregnant women with hypertension.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004232:Diuretics / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010298:Parity; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013565:Sympatholytics / Q000009:adverse effects; D014481:United States; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D013565:Sympatholytics; D014665:Vasodilator Agents