. 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 3.

Antihypertensive medications for pregnant women with severe hypertension

Agent	Dose	Side Effects
Labetalol (IV)	5–20 mg (increase every 10–15 min to max ag 220 mg/d)	Hypotension, increased liver enzyme levels, persistent fetal bradycardia, and neonatal hypoglycemia
Labetalol (IV)	5–20 mg (increase every 10–15 min to max ag 220 mg/d)	Avoid in asthma because of risk of bronchospasm and congestive heart failure
Hydralazine (IV)	5–10 mg (increase every 20 min to max dosage 30 mg/d)	Severe headache, peripheral edema, flushing, reflex bradycardia, hypotension.
Hydralazine (IV)	5–10 mg (increase every 20 min to max dosage 30 mg/d)	Avoid use in isolation because of reflex tachycardia
Immediate-release nifedipine (PO)	5–10 mg (increase every 30 min to max dosage 50 mg/d)	First-line alternative to labetalol only in the absence of IV access for treatment of acute, severe hypertension

Abbreviation: IV, intravenous.