Treatment and management of gestational hypertension

It is advised to rest at home, reduce the amount of activity, pay attention to the degree of edema every day, closely monitor the changes of blood pressure, and take oral antihypertensive drugs to control blood pressure.

For dietary control, maintain a high-protein diet to supplement the protein lost in urine. Do not eat foods that are too salty or high in sodium to reduce the risk of edema, with strict limitation on the intake of salt not required.

Severe preeclampsia requires immediate hospitalization for observation and treatment if the following symptoms occur:

• Blood pressure over 160/110 mmHg
• Proteinuria greater than 2+
• Significant or sudden swelling of hands , face or feet
• Nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, stiff neck
• Decreased urine output
• Rapid weight gain (more than 2kg per week)
• Upper abdominal pain

After hospitalization, in addition to the use of anti-hypertensive drugs, magnesium sulfate will also be given as necessary to prevent spasms. However, serum magnesium concentration must be maintained within a certain therapeutic concentration range to avoid side effects. Therefore, blood samples should be taken regularly to detect magnesium ion concentration, and attention should be paid to the deep tendon reflex, respiratory rate and urination volume in pregnant women.

The final treatment for pregnancy-induced hypertension is delivery. The baby must be delivered as soon as possible if uncontrollable hypertension, abnormal liver function, thrombocytopenia, kidney dysfunction, pulmonary edema, generalized seizure, cerebral hemorrhage, or eclampsia occurs in the puerpera, or ultrasonography detects a significant increase in umbilical cord blood flow resistance, fetal growth arrest or fetal distress.

Generally, pregnancy induced hypertension will gradually return to normal levels within 12 weeks after birth. If hypertension persists, a thorough examination should be performed. In addition, preeclampsia may recur during the next pregnancy, and women with recurrent gestational hypertension have a higher chance of developing chronic hypertension in the future.