Management of severe hypertension in pregnancy

Magnesium sulfate in preeclampsia: Broad indications, not only in neurological symptoms

The role of magnesium sulfate for treatment of eclampsia is well established. The medication proved to be superior to other anticonvulsants to reduce the incidence of recurrent convulsions among women with eclampsia. Additionally, magnesium sulfate has been indicated for women with preeclampsia with different severe features. However, despite these recommendations, many clinicians are still not confident with the use of magnesium sulfate, even in settings with high incidence of preeclampsia and unacceptable rates of maternal mortality. This review brings basic science and clinical information to endorse recommendations to encourage clinicians to use magnesium sulfate for patients with all severe features of preeclampsia, not only for women with neurological symptoms. Additionally, other benefits of magnesium sulfate in anesthesia and fetal neuroprotection are also presented. Finally, a comprehensive algorithm presents recommendations to manage patients with preeclampsia with severe features between 34 and 36+6 weeks.

There is a Strong Association between Early Preeclampsia and Congenital Heart Defects: A Large Population-Based, Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of congenital heart defects and examine their association with preeclampsia (PE).

METHODS

A clinical-based, retrospective study was conducted in Shenzhen between 2004 and 2017. Data were collected from Shenzhen Maternal and Child Health Hospital Medical Record Database. This study included all infants who were born at the hospital with or without heart defects and their mothers (N = 177,434 newborns). Data processing and analysis were performed by SPSS23.0 (Chicago, IL, USA).

RESULTS

6,852 women (3.9%) were diagnosed as PE and 1,289 newborns (7.30 per 1,000) have congenital heart disease (CHD). Prevalence of CHD in newborns of women with PE is 15.8 per 1,000 significantly higher than the overall prevalence (7.30 per 1,000). CHD in newborns has strong association with PE, especially early-onset PE (adjusted OR 3.29 and 95% CI 2.15-5.03) and severe PE (adjusted OR 2.75 and 95% CI 2.13-3.56). Among those with CHD, infants of preeclamptic women had higher prevalence of tetralogy of Fallot (43.78 vs. 28.14 per 100,000), atrial septal defect (335.67 vs. 53.93 per 100,000), ventricular dysplasia (102.16 vs. 89.69 per 100,000), and ventricular septal defect (525.39 vs. 212.22 per 100,000) than pregnant women with non-PE.

CONCLUSION

PE, especially early-onset PE and severe PE, is strongly associated with offspring CHD. Our results help advance the current understanding of the association between PE and offspring CHD. So preventing PE and reducing PE may have a beneficial effect on the offspring CHD.

Identification of factors associated with delayed treatment of obstetric hypertensive emergencies

BACKGROUND

Obstetric hypertensive emergency is defined as having systolic blood pressure ≥160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥110 mm Hg, confirmed 15 minutes apart. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that acute-onset, severe hypertension be treated with first line-therapy (intravenous labetalol, intravenous hydralazine or oral nifedipine) within 60 minutes to reduce risk of maternal morbidity and death.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to identify barriers that lead to delayed treatment of obstetric hypertensive emergency.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study was performed that compared women who were treated appropriately within 60 minutes vs those with delay in first-line therapy. We identified 604 patients with discharge diagnoses of chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia using International Classification of Diseases-10 codes and obstetric antihypertensive usage in a pharmacy database at 1 academic institution from January 2017 through June 2018. Of these, 267 women (44.2%) experienced obstetric hypertensive emergency in the intrapartum period or within 2 days of delivery; the results from 213 women were used for analysis. We evaluated maternal characteristics, presenting symptoms and circumstances, timing of hypertensive emergency, gestational age at presentation, and administered medications. Chi square, Fisher's exact, Wilcoxon rank-sum, and sample t-tests were used to compare the 2 groups. Univariable logistic regression was applied to determine predictors of delayed treatment. Multivariable regression model was also performed; C-statistic and Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test were used to assess the model fit. A result was considered statistically significant at P<.05.

RESULTS

Of the 213 women, 110 (51.6%) had delayed treatment vs 103 (48.4%) who were treated within 60 minutes. Patients who had delayed treatment were 3.2 times more likely to have an initial blood pressure in the nonsevere range vs those who had timely treatment (odds ratio, 3.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.85-5.68). Timeliness of treatment was associated with presence or absence of preeclampsia symptoms; patients without preeclampsia symptoms were 2.7 times more likely to have delayed treatment (odds ratio, 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.50-4.80). Patients with hypertensive emergencies that occurred overnight between 10 pm and 6 am were 2.7 times more likely to have delayed treatment vs those emergencies that occurred between 6 am and 10 pm (odds ratio, 2.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-5.83). Delayed treatment also had an association with race, with white patients being 1.8 times more likely to have delayed treatment (odds ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-3.08). Patients who were treated at <60 minutes had a lower gestational age at presentation vs those with delayed treatment (34.6±5 vs 36.6±4 weeks, respectively; P<.001). For every 1-week increase in gestational age at presentation, there was a 9% increase in the likelihood of delayed treatment (odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.19). Another factor that was associated with delay of treatment was having a complaint of labor symptoms, which made patients 2.2 times as likely to experience treatment delay (odds ratio, 2.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-4.41).

CONCLUSION

Initial blood pressure in the nonsevere range, absence of preeclampsia symptoms, presentation overnight, white race, having complaint of labor symptoms, and increasing gestational age at presentation are barriers that lead to a delay in the treatment of obstetric hypertensive emergency. Quality improvement initiatives that target these barriers should be instituted to improve timely treatment.

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and maternal and neonatal outcomes in Haiti: the importance of surveillance and data collection

BACKGROUND

This study aims to determine reported prevalence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) and maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with these disorders among women delivering at selected hospitals across Haiti.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 8822 singleton deliveries between January 2012 and December 2014 was conducted at four hospitals in separate Departments across Haiti. Researchers examined the proportion of women with reported HDP (hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia) and the association between women with HDP and three neonatal outcomes: low birth weight, preterm birth, and stillbirths; and two maternal outcomes: placental abruption and maternal death in Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS). Odds ratios for associations between HDP and perinatal outcomes at HAS were assessed using logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Of the 8822 singleton births included in the study, 510 (5.8%) had a reported HDP (including 285 (55.9%) preeclampsia, 119 (23.3%) eclampsia, and 106 (20.8%) hypertension). Prevalence of HDP among each hospital was: HAS (13.5%), Hôpital Immaculée Conception des Cayes (HIC) (3.2%), Fort Liberté (4.3%), and Hôpital Sacré Coeur de Milot (HSC) (3.0%). Among women at HAS with HDP, the adjusted odds of having a low birth weight baby was four times that of women without HDP (aOR 4.17, 95% CI 3.19-5.45), more than three times that for stillbirths (aOR 3.51, 95% CI 2.43-5.06), and five times as likely to result in maternal death (aOR 5.13, 95% CI 1.53-17.25). Among the three types of HDP, eclampsia was associated with the greatest odds of adverse events with five times the odds of having a low birth weight baby (aOR 5.00, 95% CI 2.84-8.79), six times the odds for stillbirths (aOR 6.34, 95% CI 3.40-11.82), and more than twelve times as likely to result in maternal death (aOR 12.70, 95% CI 2.33-69.31).

CONCLUSIONS

A high prevalence of HDP was found among a cohort of Haitian mothers. HDP was associated with higher rates of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in HAS, which is comparable to studies of HDP conducted in high-income countries.

Use of Antihypertensive Medications During Delivery Hospitalizations Complicated by Preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate temporal trends in use of antihypertensive medications during delivery hospitalizations complicated by preeclampsia and risk of maternal stroke over the same time period.

METHODS

The Perspective database was used to perform a retrospective cohort study evaluating antihypertensive drugs dispensed during delivery hospitalizations complicated by preeclampsia from 2006 to the first quarter of 2015. Medications evaluated included nifedipine, hydralazine, and oral and intravenous labetalol. Adjusted models for receipt of antihypertensive agents accounting for demographic and hospital factors were created. Hospital-level rates of antihypertensive administration for women with severe preeclampsia were analyzed. Risk of stroke during delivery hospitalization was evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 239,454 patients with preeclampsia were included in the analysis including 126,595 women with mild, 31,628 with superimposed, and 81,231 with severe preeclampsia. Overall, 105,409 women received a hypertensive agent. From 2006 to 2014, for all patients with preeclampsia, receipt of oral labetalol increased from 20.3% to 31.4%, intravenous labetalol from 13.3% to 21.4%, hydralazine from 12.8% to 16.9%, nifedipine from 15.0% to 18.2%, and more than one medication from 16.5% to 25.8%. The proportion of patients with preeclampsia receiving any antihypertensive medication rose from 37.8% in 2006 to 49.4% in 2015. In adjusted models, temporal trends retained significance. Rates of antihypertensive administration for severe preeclampsia varied significantly by hospital. For severe preeclampsia, the risk for stroke decreased from 13.5 per 10,000 deliveries in 2006-2008 (n=27) to 9.7 in 2009-2011 (n=25) to 6.0 in 2012-2014 (n=20) (P=.02).

CONCLUSION

Use of multiple antihypertensive agents to treat preeclamptic women increased over the study period for women with mild, superimposed, and severe preeclampsia. There was substantial hospital variation in use of antihypertensive agents. This trend was associated with decreased risk of maternal stroke.

Pharmacotherapy for hypertension in pregnant patients: special considerations

INTRODUCTION

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) represent a major cause of maternal, fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality and identifies women at risk for cardiovascular and other chronic diseases later in life. When antihypertensive drugs are used during pregnancy, their benefit and harm to both mother and fetus should be evaluated.

AREAS COVERED

This review summarizes the pharmacological characteristics of the recommended antihypertensive drugs and their impact on mother and fetus when administered during pregnancy and/or post-partum. Drugs were identified using MEDLINE and the main international Guidelines for the management of HDP.

EXPERT OPINION

Although there is a consensus that severe hypertension should be treated, treatment of mild hypertension without end-organ damage (140-159/90-109 mmHg) remains controversial and there is no agreement on when to initiate therapy, blood pressure targets or recommended drugs in the absence of robust evidence for the superiority of one drug over others. Furthermore, the long-term outcomes of in-utero antihypertensive exposure remain uncertain. Therefore, evidence-based data regarding the treatment of HDP is lacking and well designed randomized clinical trials are needed to resolve all these controversial issues related to the management of HDP.

Safe Motherhood Initiative: Early Impact of Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy Bundle Implementation

Objective  To describe the implementation and early results of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District II Safe Motherhood Initiative's Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy bundle on the timely treatment of severe hypertension in New York State obstetric hospitals. Methods  This is a retrospective comparative study of two time periods during voluntary implementation of the Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy bundle in New York State's obstetric hospitals. The main outcome measure was the administration of an appropriate antihypertensive agent within 1 hour of the second elevated value for all pregnant or postpartum patients with severe hypertension. Results  Of the 117 obstetric hospitals participating in the Safe Motherhood Initiative, 111 (94.9%) submitted data included in this analysis. During the study period, 80 of the 111 (72.0%) hospitals reported implementing the hypertension bundle. Overall, 2.4% of pregnant women were diagnosed with severe hypertension, and 60 to 65% of patients were treated within an hour of the second elevated value. Although not statistically significant, a greater numbers of patients were treated within an hour of the second elevated value in the second time period compared with the first in most obstetric hospitals (overall 64.8 vs. 60.8%; p  = 0.33). Conclusion  There were increasing numbers of patients receiving timely treatment of severe hypertension during early implementation of a Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy bundle in New York State obstetric hospitals. However, bundle implementation requires significant financial and human resources and the long-term impact on maternal morbidity and mortality in our state remains uncertain. Precis There was a tendency toward more timely treatment of severe hypertension following implementation of a Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy bundle in New York obstetric hospitals.

Management of Hypertension on the Labor and Delivery Unit: Delivering Care in the Era of Protocols and Algorithms

INTRODUCTION

Preeclampsia with severe hypertension, which occurs in 5% to 8% of pregnancies, is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in the US. Early recognition and treatment of hypertensive crises can significantly reduce poor outcomes. A protocol to ensure prompt treatment with antihypertensive medication (intravenous labetalol) was implemented at our institution.

OBJECTIVE

To determine adherence to this protocol on the Labor and Delivery Unit.

DESIGN

Retrospective chart review was performed for patients admitted to the Labor and Delivery Unit between April 2015 and June 2015. Charts were reviewed if the patient had a diagnosis of chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, superimposed preeclampsia, preeclampsia with severe features, eclampsia, or stroke in pregnancy. Only patients with confirmed severe blood pressures, in which the protocol would be initiated, were included in the final analysis.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Overall compliance with the entire protocol.

RESULTS

Of 178 cases reviewed, 58 (32.6%) had confirmed severe blood pressures. Most patients (n = 46, 79.3%) received a diagnosis of preeclampsia with severe features, and most delivered via cesarean delivery (n = 38, 65.5%). No cases were compliant with the entire labetalol protocol. Of 58 patients, 2 (3.5) adequately repeated a confirmation blood pressure within 5 minutes, and 34 (58.6%) were adequately treated with intravenous labetalol according to protocol requirements.

CONCLUSION

Labetalol treatment was appropriately initiated in many cases; however, protocol adherence could greatly improve. Potential factors affecting protocol compliance include shift changes, communication issues, and conflicting protocols. Institutions should review protocol compliance to improve care.

Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: Overview and Current Recommendations

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy include chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia-eclampsia, and chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia. These disorders are an important cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Although advances in effective treatments have been made, current research has yet to identify a biochemical or diagnostic imaging marker to reliably predict preeclampsia. Despite current guidelines that address diagnosis and management of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, health care providers may overlook or be unaware of signs that require immediate evaluation and treatment. This article reviews the definitions of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, diagnosis, pathophysiology of preeclampsia, indications for treatment, neurologic sequelae, and counseling about the implications of hypertension in pregnancy for subsequent health.

Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnant Women Receiving Fertility Treatments

Hypertensive disorders (HDs) as the most prevalent medical problem during pregnancy, predispose the patient to a lot of comorbidities and may even cause maternal or fetal death. The rate of infertility has been increasing in recent decades. So, we collected and summarized data about the co-existence of these two entities and found that HDs are somewhat more common in women receiving fertility treatments regardless of pathophysiologic correlation of infer- tility and hypertension or older age and chance of multiple pregnancies.

Nested case-control study reveals increased levels of urinary proteins from human kidney toxicity panels in women predicted to develop preeclampsia

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of urine concentrations of 12 proteins as a risk parameter for developing preeclampsia (PE).

METHODS

A nested case-control study was designed to determine protein concentrations in urine from women predicted to develop PE (WPD-PE) and normotensive pregnancies (controls). Protein profiles were determined at 12, 16 and 20 gestational weeks (GW) using the Bio-Plex Pro human kidney toxicity Panel 1 and Panel 2 (Bio-Rad). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed. Correlations between proteins and clinical parameters at the time of PE diagnosis were also assessed.

RESULTS

Significant differences were observed in urine cystatin C (Cys C) levels at 16 and 20 GW and clusterin at 20 GW between WPD-PE and controls (P < 0.05). ROC analysis revealed that Cys C at 16 GW had the highest area under the ROC curve (0.758). At 16 GW, patients with urine Cys C levels above 73.7 ng/mL had eightfold increased odds for developing PE (odds ratio 7.92; 95 % CI 1.3-47.5; P = 0.027). A positive correlation was found between urinary Cys C (at 16 and 20 GW) and leukocyte counts, total proteins, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase at the time of PE diagnosis (P value < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Urinary Cys C and clusterin showed predictive value for PE development in our cohort. Further studies are needed to validate their use as predictive biomarkers for PE and/or their participation in PE pathogenesis.

Nitric oxide synthase-mediated blood pressure regulation in obese melanocortin-4 receptor-deficient pregnant rats

Although obesity increases the risk for hypertension in pregnancy, the mechanisms responsible are unknown. Increased nitric oxide (NO) production results in vasodilation and reduced blood pressure during normal pregnancy in lean rats; however, the role of NO is less clear during obese pregnancies. We examined the impact of obesity on NO synthase (NOS)-mediated regulation of blood pressure during pregnancy by testing the hypothesis that NOS activity, expression, and regulation of vascular tone and blood pressure are reduced in obese pregnant rats. At gestational day 19, melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R)-deficient obese rats (MC4R) had greater body weight and fat mass with elevated blood pressure and circulating sFlt-1 levels compared with MC4R pregnant rats. MC4R pregnant rats also had less circulating cGMP levels and reduced total NOS enzymatic activity and expression in mesenteric arteries. Despite decreased biochemical measures of NO/NOS in MC4R rats, NOS inhibition enhanced vasoconstriction only in mesenteric arteries from MC4R rats, suggesting greater NOS-mediated tone. To examine the role of NOS on blood pressure regulation in obese pregnant rats, MC4R and MC4R pregnant rats were administered the nonselective NOS inhibitor N^G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME, 100 mg/l) from gestational day 14 to 19 in drinking water. The degree by which l-NAME raised blood pressure was similar between obese and lean pregnant rats. Although MC4R obese pregnant rats had elevated blood pressure associated with reduced total NOS activity and expression, they had enhanced NOS-mediated attenuation of vasoconstriction, with no evidence of alterations in NOS-mediated regulation of blood pressure.

Preeclampsia-Eclampsia Adverse Outcomes Reduction: The Preeclampsia-Eclampsia Checklist

Globally, preeclampsia-eclampsia (PE-E) is a major cause of puerperal intensive care unit admission, accounting for up to 10% of maternal deaths. PE-E primary prevention is possible. Antepartum low-dose aspirin prophylaxis, costing USD $10–24 can cut the incidence of PE-E in half. Antepartum low molecular weight heparin combined with low-dose aspirin prophylaxis can cut the incidence of early onset PE-E and fetuses that are small for their gestational age in half. Despite predictive antepartum models for PE-E prophylaxis, said prophylaxis is not routinely provided. Therefore, magnesium sulfate secondary prevention of eclampsia remains the globally recommended intervention. Implementation of a PE-E checklist is a continuous quality improvement (CQI) tool facilitating appropriate antepartum PE-E prophylaxis and maternal care from the first trimester through the postpartum fourth trimester inter-partum interval. A novel clinical PE-E checklist and implementation strategy are presented below. CQI PE-E checklist implementation and appropriate PE-E prophylaxis provides clinicians and healthcare systems an opportunity to achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, reducing child mortality and improving maternal health. While CQI checklist implementation may be a tedious ongoing process requiring healthcare team resiliency, improved healthcare outcomes are well worth the effort.