. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Feb 1.

Published in final edited form as: Cardiol Clin. 2020 Nov 2;39(1):77–90. doi: 10.1016/j.ccl.2020.09.005

Table 2.

Antihypertensive medications for pregnant women with nonsevere hypertension

	Agent	Dose	Side Effects
First line	Labetalol (PO)	100–200 mg BID (increase Q 2–3 d to max dosage 2400 mg/d)	Hypotension, increased liver enzyme Levels, persistent fetal bradycardia, and neonatal hypoglycemia
	Labetalol (PO)	100–200 mg BID (increase Q 2–3 d to max dosage 2400 mg/d)	Avoid in asthma because of risk of bronchospasm
	Extended-release nifedipine (PO)	30–60 mg Q day (increase Q 7–14 d to max dosage 120 mg/d)	Severe headache, peripheral edema
	Methyldopa (PO)	250 mg BID or TID (increase Q 2 d to max dose 3000 mg/d)	Sedative, peripheral edema, anxiety, nightmares, dry mouth, hypotension,
	Methyldopa (PO)	250 mg BID or TID (increase Q 2 d to max dose 3000 mg/d)	Contraindicated in depression
Second or Third line	Hydrochlorothiazide	12.5 mg Q day (increase Q 7–14 d to max dosage 50 mg/d)	Volume depletion, fetal growth restriction, oligohydramnios
	Hydralazine	10 mg QID (increase Q 2–5 d to max dosage 200 mg/d)	Tachycardia, headache, flushing, fetal distress, hypotension, and inhibition of labor especially when combined with magnesium sulfate
	Hydralazine	10 mg QID (increase Q 2–5 d to max dosage 200 mg/d)	Should never be used in isolation because of reflex tachycardia

Abbreviations: BID, twice a day; PO, by mouth; max, maximum; Q, every; QID, 4 times a day; TID, 3 times a day.