Nosheen Akhtar, Zartaj Hayat, Fatima Nazim.
Comparison betwen labetalol and methyldopa in the treatemnt of pre-eclampsia.
J Postgrad Med Inst Jan ;32(1):35-9.

Objective: To compare the effects of labetalol and methyldopa on mean diastolic blood pressure in patients with pre-eclampsia. Methodology: A randomized controlled trial was done in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, from 20th August 2013 to 31st march 2014. A total of 300 women with singleton pregnancy (20-37 weeks) diagnosed with pre-eclampsia were randomly assigned to labetalol (n=150) and methyldopa (n=150). The outcome was determined as reduction in mean diastolic blood pressure 48 hours after intervention with labetalol and methyldopa. Results: In labetalol group, the mean age of patients was 32.57 ±4.3 years, while in methyldopa group it was 33.09 ±4.2 years (p value =0.290). In labetalol group, mean diastolic blood pressure was reduced from 100.9 ±6.8 mmHg to 93.5 ±7.2 mmHg (p value =0.000). In methyldopa group, it was reduced from 99.7 ±9.9 mmHg to 93.4 ±7.8 mmHg (p value =0.000). There was no statistical difference in the mean diastolic blood pressure between the two groups after intervention (p value = 0.909). Conclusion: Both labetalol and methyldopa reduced diastolic blood pressure significantly after 48 hours of intervention. The efficacy of both drugs was equal in reducing diastolic blood pressure and the difference was statistically not significant.

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