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May 19, 2006Article Details
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Reducing maternal mortality : systolic blood pressure
Abstract
Objective: To establish whether systolic blood pressure management outlined in hospital guidelines for the management of severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia is in line with national recommendations.
Design: A survey of obstetric unit guidelines for the management of severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.
Sample Obstetric units in the UK.
Methods Postal request to all UK obstetric units requesting a copy of their guidelines for management of severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. Guidelines were compared with published recommendations with r egard to the management and monitoring of blood pressure.
Results A total of 108 units sent guidelines for review (47.6%), and 73 different guidelines were assessed. Four guidelines (5.5%) failed to provide a definition of severe hypertension. There was considerable variation in the level of blood pressure used as a target during treatment with antihypertensive medication and 32 (43.8%) of the guidelines did not specify a target blood pressure. Only 34 (46.6%) guidelines contained clear recommendations on the speed with which blood pressure should be reduced.
Conclusions. The danger of high systolic blood pressure continues to be under-acknowledged by clinicians.
South African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Vol. 12(1) 2006: 20-24
Design: A survey of obstetric unit guidelines for the management of severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.
Sample Obstetric units in the UK.
Methods Postal request to all UK obstetric units requesting a copy of their guidelines for management of severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. Guidelines were compared with published recommendations with r egard to the management and monitoring of blood pressure.
Results A total of 108 units sent guidelines for review (47.6%), and 73 different guidelines were assessed. Four guidelines (5.5%) failed to provide a definition of severe hypertension. There was considerable variation in the level of blood pressure used as a target during treatment with antihypertensive medication and 32 (43.8%) of the guidelines did not specify a target blood pressure. Only 34 (46.6%) guidelines contained clear recommendations on the speed with which blood pressure should be reduced.
Conclusions. The danger of high systolic blood pressure continues to be under-acknowledged by clinicians.
South African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Vol. 12(1) 2006: 20-24
