The management of severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

With improving standards of antenatal care, severe pre-eclampsia dn eclampsia are becoming less common and experience in the management of these conditions is lessening. Co-ordinated plans for the care of patients should be established by obstetricians and anaesthetists working as a team. A suitable regime for drug therapy in severe pre-eclampsia or eclampsia is the following: Initial management Diazepam 10 mg slowly i.v. Pethidine 100-150 mg i.m. or i.v. in incremental dosage, or extradural blocks, if analgesia is also required. Hydrallazine 20 mg i.v. initially, followed by 5 mg at intervals of 20 min until the diastolic pressure is less than 110 mm Hg. Then, preferably by syringe pump in a concentration of 2 mg/ml, at a rate of 2-20 mg/h. If vomiting occurs this can be controlled by administration of atropine. Subsequent management Sedation and anticonvulsant therapy. Continue diazepam and, in severe cases, institute chlormethiazole infusion. Continue analgesia with pethidine or extradural block. Control of hypertension by adjusting the dose of hydrallazine. If tachycardia exceeds 120 beat/min give propanolol 2-4 mg i.v. Plasma protein depletion with groww oedema is treated by administration of salt-free albumin or plasma protein fraction. Diuretic therapy is indicated if there is gross oedema or signs suggestive of acute renal failure. Oliguria associated with increased blood urea may be a result of renal failure or dehydration. The latter should be evident from the patient's condition and central venous pressure, but i.v. fluids and frusemide 20-40 mg can be used as a therapeutic test. Mannitol reduces cerebral oedema and may be given if diuresis has been first produced with frusemide. Potassium chloride is given if the plasma potassium decreases to less than 3 mmol/litre. Heparin therapy is considered if there is clinical evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation.