Abstract
Supine and erect arterial pressures were measured daily for six to seven days after delivery in 100 patients, of whom 50 had received epidural analgesia. There was no difference in the magnitude of postural hypotension between the epidural and control groups on any day after delivery, although in both groups the hypotension was greater during the first two days due almost entirely to changes in systolic arterial pressure. The incidence of dizziness on standing was similar in both groups (9%). Thus postural hypotension is no more common in women who have received epidural analgesia than in others. All patients should be helped out of bed after delivery, and any patient who experiences dizziness should have her blood pressure measured until the dizziness disappears.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Briggs R. S., May A. E., Gergis M. I. Persistent orthostatic hypotension after epidural analgesia. Br Med J. 1978 Apr 8;1(6117):892–893. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6117.892-a. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Crawford J. S. The second thousand epidural blocks in an obstetric hospital practice. Br J Anaesth. 1972 Dec;44(12):1277–1287. doi: 10.1093/bja/44.12.1277. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cuerden C., Buley R., Downing J. W. Delayed recovery after epidural block in labour. A report of four cases. Anaesthesia. 1977 Sep;32(8):773–776. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1977.tb10080.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GOODRICH S. M., WOOD J. E. PERIPHERAL VENOUS DISTENSIBILITY AND VELOCITY OF VENOUS BLOOD FLOW DURING PREGNANCY OR DURING ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE THERAPY. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1964 Nov 15;90:740–744. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(64)90935-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]