Current Treatment Guidelines and Antihypertensive Therapy of Mild Chronic Hypertension During Pregnancy

Abstract

Up to 5% of pregnant females experience chronic hypertension, which is linked to poor pregnancy outcomes, and along with hemorrhage, is considered one of the main causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. The combined occurrence of preeclampsia, cesarean sections, preterm birth, birth weight less than 2,500 g, neonatal unit admission, and perinatal death was higher in females with chronic hypertension. Pregnancy with systolic blood pressure of 140-159 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of 90-109 mmHg was considered to have mild-to-moderate chronic hypertension. Blood pressure management during pregnancy is a very important issue and is directly related to fetal growth and maternal health. Many studies have reported that antihypertensive therapy during pregnancy halves the incidence of severe hypertension in all types of hypertensive diseases. However, guidelines for optimal blood pressure management goals during pregnancy remain unclear. This is because the benefits to the mother from lowering blood pressure are uncertain, and there is a risk of fetal disorders due to the possibility of reduced uteroplacental blood flow. In light of a recently released CHAP (Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy) randomized controlled trial, the purpose of this review was to provide a summary of the current recommendations for pregnant females with mild-to-moderate chronic hypertension.