The Management of Severe Preeclampsia with Intravenous Magnesium Sulphate, Hydralazine and Central Venous Catheterization

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Abstract
EDITORIAL COMMENT; This paper reports satisfactory results in the management of severe preeclampsia in 46 patients using magnesium sulphate and hydralazine by intravenous infusion, and central venous catheterization for monitoring fluid balance. The reader may wonder what proportion of patients with preeclampsia warrant this type of intensive care. These patients were managed over a 3‐year interval and represent about 3% of patients with preeclampsia. In other words in 1,000 pregnancies about 100 patients will develop the signs of preeclampsia before or during labour, and in about 3 of the 100 the disease wilt be sufficiently severe to warrant the careful intensive management described in this paper.Summary: A prospective study of patients with severe preeclampsia managed by magnesium sulphate infusion for eclampsia prophylaxis, hydralazine infusion for vasodilatation and central venous catheterization for fluid monitoring is reported. In this preliminary report of 46 patients, there was no episode of eclampsia following treatment, no maternal death, and hypertension was well controlled in all patients. Of the 51 babies born, there were 7 stillbirths, and 4 neonatal deaths; 6 of the 7 stillbirths were less than 30 weeks' gestation, and 23 of the 46 patients were delivered by Caesarean section.

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