What pills for pressure can be pregnant?

When carrying a baby, hypertension is a fairly common occurrence, so it is advisable for every mother to know which pills can be taken (under the supervision of a doctor!) From pressure during pregnancy. Unfortunately, many women do not attach due importance to the disease and start the situation. But hypertension in pregnant women can pose a great threat to both the mother herself and her unborn child. This disease must be treated.

First, you need to decide what arterial hypertension in pregnant women is.

It includes several concepts:

1. Hypertension. This is when the pressure is above 140/90 mmHg.
2. Severe hypertension. The pressure exceeds 160/110 mm.
3. Preeclampsia. High blood pressure + increased protein in the urine. This condition is dangerous for mother and unborn baby.
4. Eclampsia. Seizures.

The best helper, of course, is prevention - low-carbohydrate nutrition, more vegetables and fruits in the diet, vitamins. But if high blood pressure is a fact, then urgent action must be taken.

The very first and obligatory action in this case should be: an appeal to a qualified doctor, and if it is necessary to go to a hospital, there is no need to refuse. The main thing is not to panic. All this is treated without harm to both parties - both the mother and her unborn child.

Methods for the treatment of hypertension in pregnancy

We will not list here the possible negative outcomes of a frivolous attitude to one's own pressure.

Moderate hypertension under the supervision of a doctor may well be corrected without the use of drugs for pressure. But severe, over 160/110 mm Hg, requires immediate intervention, that is, the appointment of drugs.

The goal of drug treatment in this case is to prevent complications and prevent the occurrence of preeclampsia and eclampsia. As well as the ability to reduce the potential risk of heart and vascular disease in the future.

Blood pressure therapy includes:

1. Correction of moderate hypertension without antihypertensive drugs.
2. Monotherapy, or the use of only one drug, with a minimum dosage.
3. Therapy with long-acting drugs.
4. Combined treatment for special cases or for maximum effect.

So, which pills for pressure can be used by pregnant women?

Correction without antihypertensive drugs

It is advisable to start treatment with drugs gradually, introducing them approximately in this order:

• Magnesium and preparations where this element is present. Studies of these funds have shown no risk to the mother and fetus. Often, in order to prevent the occurrence of hypertension or to correct an existing, but non-critical, gynecologist who sees a pregnant woman prescribes magnesium tablets. Its deficiency in the body leads to very unpleasant consequences, and high blood pressure is one of them. Compensating for the deficiency of this element, it is quite possible to normalize the pressure or keep it in check.
• Medicinal products of plant origin. They are especially important in the first trimester. Valerian and motherwort are recommended. Tablet forms act slowly, it is preferable to drink decoctions of these herbs.

• Drugs that improve blood microcirculation. These include aspirin in small doses. Also such a medicine as dipyridamole. Relatively harmless, but it can only be taken from 16 weeks.
• It is allowed, but carefully and under full control, the use of antispasmodics such as papaverine from the second trimester. But only if the benefits outweigh the risks.
• Calcium in preparations - carbonate, gluconate - from 16 weeks. Calcium carbonate belongs to the safe group of drugs.
• Vitamins and antioxidants. They are often used in the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure in pregnant women.

Naturally, all these remedies are recommended if there are no symptoms of a hypertensive crisis or preeclampsia.

If lifestyle changes, diet and the group of drugs described above are ineffective, then antihypertensive drugs are prescribed.

Prescribing antihypertensive drugs

In severe hypertension, the following medications are prescribed:

• Methyldopa or dopegyt. For a period of 16-20 weeks, it is not recommended to use.
• Labetalol.

• Nifedipine. A possible side effect is tachycardia. Do not use with magnesium.
• Metoprolol. May lower blood sugar.

If there are indications, then you can use these tablets: hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, verapamil, clonidine, prazosin.

Of all the above drugs, only methyldopa belongs to the relatively safe group. For the most part, antihypertensive drugs belong to category C. In the first trimester, and, in general, throughout pregnancy, their appointment must be justified.

1. Important! Self-medication is strictly prohibited!
2. The prescribed drugs will need to be taken until the end of pregnancy.
3. Accidentally taking pills that are contraindicated during pregnancy is not a reason for serious worries. It is urgent to stop using them and go to the doctor for "good" drugs, plus, you can get an ultrasound.

Categories of drug safety during pregnancy

In 1979, a system of categories for the safety of drugs for pregnancy was developed.

There are only five categories:

• The absence of harmful effects on the embryo has been proven.
• Relatively harmless, they do not carry a significant risk.
• There is a risk of negative effects on the fetus. They are prescribed only if the benefit outweighs the risk.
• The risk to the fetus is proven. They can only be used when absolutely necessary.
• Embryonic deviations are possible. For pregnant women, they are taboo. The risk far outweighs the benefit.

The medicines listed above, and others that save pressure, are divided into safety categories as follows:

• Category A - aspirin in small doses (may reduce the likelihood of preeclampsia), magnesium B6, magnesia (shots), calcium carbonate.
• Category B - methyldopa (dopegyte), hydrochlorothiazide.
• Category C - nifedipine, clonidine, metoprolol and others.
• Category D is high-dose aspirin when taken in excess of 150 mg per day.

Regardless of which category pills and injections belong to, self-administration can only do harm!

Monotherapy

The most popular drug prescribed for moms is dopegyt, or methyldopa. Therefore, let's start with it. This is the most studied medicine of all the others of a similar effect.

More than a quarter of a century ago, the most important large-scale drug safety study was conducted. Other means have not been so studied. Women who took methyldopa during their pregnancy and the children born to them were under the supervision of scientists for as much as 7.5 years. Pathologies, large deviations and other problems were not identified!

The drug is quite effective in lowering the level of pressure in any position. The effect of the drug develops a few hours after a single dose (from 4 to 6) and lasts for at least 12 hours, sometimes up to a day. If the treatment is stopped, the pressure will return to the initial value after 1 or 2 days.

In addition to the fact that he can bring down the pressure, he will also:

• has a slight sedative effect, which can be observed at the beginning of its administration;
• able to reduce the tone of the nervous system;
• stops the development of gestosis.

Dopegyt has the following contraindications: liver disease, anemia, heart attack, individual intolerance and others.

At the same time, dopegyt has a lot of side effects:

• sleep disorder;
• depression;
• edema (in this case, diuretics are additionally prescribed);
• orthostatic hypotension (a sharp decrease in pressure when moving, for example, standing up) and many others.

By the way, depression is also a contraindication to taking medication. Most likely, it can aggravate the existing one.

Despite the number of side effects, the first appointment is still mainly this drug. This is due to the lack of knowledge of competitors and because, nevertheless, pregnant women mostly tolerate methyldopa well.

In addition, the study found that women taking dopegyt in the third trimester had a fetus in much better condition than those who did not take it.

Labetalol is also a blood pressure remedy that may be prescribed by a doctor during pregnancy. It is recommended for admission by international leadership. Especially in case of contraindications to taking methyldopa (liver disease and others) or its ineffectiveness. It is fairly easy to digest, has a minimum of side effects.

Magnesia (or magnesium sulfate) is not a drug for treating high blood pressure, but is given intravenously to prevent seizures when preeclampsia is suspected.

Means of long action

If dopegyt does not have the desired effect, calcium antagonists, such as nifedipine, are prescribed instead or in addition.

Although in obstetrics only prolonged action nifedipine is used. Such drugs are normally combined with other drugs for hypertension (such as dopegyt).

Therefore, if the doctor decides to prescribe him to correct pressure in the presence of serious indications, then it is better to listen to his professional (this is important!) Opinion.

Since the harm of high blood pressure can far exceed all the side effects of drugs.

Combination of drugs

Often in severe cases, expectant mothers are prescribed combined drugs. This means that the desired is contained in one pill or you need to take several drugs together. In what form?

Perhaps like this:

• methyldopa + nifedipine;
• methyldopa + diuretic;
• dopegit + nifedipine + diuretic.

This combination of drugs allows you to reduce the dosage of each, thereby reducing the risk of side effects.

Pressure tablets should be prescribed if the potential threat to the life or development of the fetus is much less than the benefit they can bring.

In no case should you self-treat your pressure. This is especially true for those women whose hypertension occurred before pregnancy. Be sure to consult a doctor, especially if the conception was not planned. After all, the first trimester is the time when all important organs are formed in the baby, so during this period it must be especially protected from all external influences, especially from drugs. The pills that the expectant mother usually took are carefully and gradually canceled, replacing them with others that are allowed.

Hypertensive crisis and preeclampsia

What tablets are prescribed for a sharp increase in pressure above 170/110 mm Hg?

In the case of a hypertensive crisis and preeclampsia, the following are used:

• nifedipine;
• clonidine;
• magnesium and other drugs.

Antihypertensive therapy in pregnant women should be strictly under the supervision of physicians.

Still, there are no now such drugs that would have been developed specifically for pregnant women and did not carry the potential risk of developing any complications. Therefore, it is still better, if hypertension is non-chronic, to take preventive measures, that is, take care of your baby in advance. After all, it is known that up to 30% of women suffer from high blood pressure, especially in the last trimester. And that percentage is growing.

Therefore, it is necessary before conception (if it is planned, then undergo a complete examination) and during the bearing of a child:

• eat a balanced diet;
• refuse fast food;
• control your weight;
• avoid smoking and alcohol;
• often walk in the fresh air;
• do physical education;
• avoid stress.

Also keep your blood pressure under control. Perhaps then you will not have to face such difficulties as choosing a drug for hypertension and emotional experiences for your future baby.