Pharmacological management of hypertension in pregnancy

Hypertension in pregnancy remains a significant public health problem. Pharmacological management of blood pressure in pregnancy is impacted by changes in maternal drug disposition and by the pharmacodynamic effects of specific agents. This article will review the impact of pregnancy on pathways of drug elimination and the associated clinical implications, the pharmacodynamic effects of specific drugs and classes of drugs in pregnancy, and the data to date on the impact of antihypertensive therapy on mothers and their fetuses.