PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 663 - 29 Sep 2012

Antihypertensive use in pregnancyon the rise

A large Medicaid database study has found thatantihypertensive use during pregnancy is relativelycommon and increasing, despite potential risk of fetalmorbidity.1

Overall, 4.4% of Medicaid patients, from a cohort ofover one million, filled prescriptions forantihypertensives during their pregnancy. The study alsoshowed substantial heterogeneity in the range of agentsused across all trimesters. ACE inhibitors,contraindicated for late pregnancy, were used by928 women during the second trimester and 383 duringthe third trimester.

"These drugs can cause poor growth, kidney problemsand even death of the newborn" said the lead author DrBateman, in an accompanying media release.2 Furtherresearch on the safety and efficacy of antihypertensivesin pregnancy is urgently needed, conclude the authors.1. Bateman BT, et al. Patterns of Outpatient Antihypertensive Medication Use

During Pregnancy in a Medicaid Population. Hypertension : [8 pages], 10 Sep2012. Available from: URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.112.197095.

2. American Heart Association. More Pregnant Women Taking High BloodPressure Drugs, Yet Safety Unclear Media Release : 10 Sep 2012. Availablefrom: URL: http://www.americanheart.org.

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 29 Sep 2012 No. 6631173-5503/10/0663-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved