title: The effects of oxytocin and atosiban on the modulation of heart rate in pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate autonomic modulation of heart rate in pregnant women treated with oxytocin to induce labor and with atosiban (an oxytocin antagonist) to arrest preterm labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study with two cohorts: 14 pregnant women treated with atosiban for premature uterine contractions, and 28 women undergoing induction of labor with oxytocin. Computerized analyses of the electrocardiogram were performed with spectral and nonlinear dynamic analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atosiban did not alter any of the variables associated with heart rate variability, whereas oxytocin showed a dose-dependent decrease in heart rate (p < 0.05) and a significant increase in all spectral variables studied (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atosiban has no adverse effects on the cardiovascular system or the modulation of heart rate. Oxytocin, on the other hand, can cause a dose-dependent bradycardic effect and an increase in the spectral power, thus should be used with caution in certain pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Rambam Health Care Campus, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa , Israel.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weissman
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Rambam Health Care Campus, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa , Israel.
authors.forename: Rana Swed
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tobia
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Rambam Health Care Campus, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa , Israel.
authors.forename: Yechiel Z
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Rambam Health Care Campus, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa , Israel.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Maxymovski
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Rambam Health Care Campus, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa , Israel.
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drugan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010120:Oxytocics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015149:Tocolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014668:Vasotocin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010120:Oxytocics; D015149:Tocolytic Agents; C047046:atosiban; D010121:Oxytocin; D014668:Vasotocin
keywords: Atosiban; autonomic nervous system; heart rate variability; oxytocin; preterm birth