Trastornos hipertensivos del embarazo

the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are important medical problems that explain a great number of maternal and fetal complications. preeclampsia is the most severe of the hypertensive complications of pregnancy and it may be catastrophic if it is not treated or if it evolves towards eclampsia. the adequate treatment requires to have in mind the normal changes of arterial hypertension and of the intravascular volume taking place during pregnancy. preeclampsia is characterized by an extreme vasoconstriction, increase of the vascular reactivity and decrease of the intravascular volume. the greatest challenge is to face the treatment, due to the fact that two lives are at risk and that no studies of prolonged surveillance have been conducted with the different antihypertensive drugs. in this review, a treatment is proposed and the fundamental therapeutic guidelines are discussed based on the correct utilization of the main milestones of antihypertensive therapy with efficacy and recognized safety, inlcuding methyldopa, hydralazine, a and b blockers (labetalol), calcium antagonists and betablockers.