Obstetrical medicine Flashcards
Differentiate pre-existing hypertension, gestational hypertension and per-eclampsia/eclampsia
- Pre-existing hypertension
- Prior to 20 weeks gestation
- Gestational hypertension
- After 20 weeks gestation
- Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia
- New or worsening HTN with one or more adverse conditions (usually after 20 weeks)

What are the diagnostic criteria for hypertension in pregnancy?
- Office: SBP ≥ 140, DBP≥90
- Ambulatory: SBP≥ 135 DBP ≥85
What are the diagnostic criteria for severe hypertension in pregnancy?
- SBP ≥ 160 DBP ≥110
*These would be the thresholds for hypertensive “urgency” or “emergency”
What are the diagnostic criteria for resistant hypertension in pregnancy?
- ≥ 3 antihypertensives
What are the BP targets in pregnancy
- DBP ≤ 85
- SBP 130-140
Give an algorythm for the management of Hypertension in pregnancy

What are the first-line antihypertensives in pregnancy
- Labetalol
- Methyldopa
- Long acting oral nifedipine
- Other beta blockers
- NOT atenolol
What medications are second line for HTN in pregnancy
- Clonidine
- Hydralazine
- Thiazide diuretics
Which antihypertensives should be avoided in pregnancy?
- ACEi
- ARB
- Atenolol
- Prazocin and other alpha blockers
Which antihypertensives should be avoided during lactation
None, all are safe
*For ACE choose Enalapril, captopril, Quinapril
With what antihypertensives should non-severe hypertension in pregnancy be treated?
- PO labetalol
- PO methyldopa
- PO nifedipine XL BID as hyperfiltrated in pregnancy
- Longer acting “biigger gun”
How should severe hypertension be treated in pregnancy?
- IV labetalol
- IV hydralazine
- IR nifedipine chew
List the risk factors for pre-eclampsia
- Epidemiologic
- First pregnancy
- New partner or IVF
- Family history
- Age <20 or >35
- Maternal
- Previous pre-eclampsia
- Chronic HTN
- DM
- Renal disease
- AI disorders (SLE, APLA)
- Obesity
- Fetal
- Multiple gestation
- Hydrops fetalis
- Molar pregnancy
What are the diagnostic criteria for pre-eclampsia
- Hypertension
- BP>140/90 x2 or >160/110 x1
Plus one of:
- New or worsening proteinuria
- ≥2+ dipstick
- urine PCR≥30
- >300 mg protein on 24hr urine protein
- One or more adverse condition
- Maternal symptoms
- Headache/vision changes
- dyspnea/chest pain
- RUQ pain
- new onset edema/anasarca
- Seizures
- Hyperreflexia/clonus
- Lab abnormalities
- Hb
- Plt
- AST/ALT/ ALP
- Cr
- Uric acid
- LDH
- bilirubin
- blood film
- fibrinogen
- PTT/INR
- Fetal complications
- IUGR
- Oligohydramnios
- absent/reversed and diastolic flow on placental doppler
- One or more severe complications
- See table:
- Maternal symptoms

How is pre-eclampsia treated in pregnancy
- Manage the hypertension
- Does not prevent progression of pre-eclampsia
- Eclampsia prevention
- Give MgSO4
- Delivery
- Decision to be made by OB
What are the indications for MgSO4 in eclampsia prevention?
- Severe pre-eclampsia
- severe hypertension
- headaches/vision changes/RUQ pain
- platelets <100
- elevated liver enzymes
- renal insufficiency
*also first line treatment of seizures in pregnancy
What are the symptoms of MgSO4 toxicity
- Respiratory suppression
- Bradycardia
- hypotension
- reduced GCS
- Decreased reflexes
- Decreased urine output
How do you monitor patients on a MgSO4 infusion for toxicity
- DONT NO LEVELS
- Monitor clinically
- Reflexes
- Urine output
How is magnesium toxicity treated
- Stop Mg
- Calcium gluconate
- HD
What are the indications for delivery in pre-eclampsia
- severe pre-eclampsia
- Refractory maternal symptoms
- Resistant HTN
- end organ damage
- persistant Sx
- Fetal complications
- IUGR
- doppler abnormalities
- fetal distress
- Wome at term: >37 weeks
*decision to be made by OB
When should antenatal corticosteroids be given
Fetus born <35 weeks
How should women be councilled in the post-partum period following pre-eclampsia, what are they at higher risk for?
- Council regarding futur pregnancy risk, CVD risk,
- Quit smoking, lose weight, support breastfeeding
- They are at higher risk for
- Chronic HTN (4x)
- Heart disease (2x)
- Stroke
- VTE
- DM
When should you calculate a women’s CVD risk after an episode of pre-eclamsia
Immediately (Don’t wait till age 40)
What are the indications for ASA in pre-eclampsia prevention
- Previous pre-eclampsia
- chronic HTN
- DMT1 or DMT2
- CKD
- SLE
- APLA
- multiple gestations
- ≥2 minor RF
- nulliparous or new partner
- IVF
- age>35
- BMI >30
- 1st degree family Hx of pre-eclamsia








