Early standardized treatment of critical blood pressure elevations is associated with a reduction in eclampsia and severe maternal morbidity

We noted 3 important findings: (1) compliance with state and national treatment guidelines is low without monitoring; (2) high levels of compliance can be achieved in a relatively short period of time; and (3) early intervention with intravenous blood pressure medication and magnesium sulfate for verified sustained critical maternal blood pressures resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of eclampsia and severe maternal morbidity. The reduction in the rate of eclampsia could only partially be attributed to the increase in the use of magnesium sulfate, suggesting an additive or synergistic effect of the combined treatment of an antihypertensive medication and magnesium sulfate on the rate of eclampsia and severe maternal morbidity.