Effect of Labetalol for Treating Patients with Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension: A Systematic Review

Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is one of the main causes of maternal mortality. Many first- and second-line drugs are available to treat the condition. Labetalol lowers blood pressure by blocking both alpha and beta adrenergic receptors. It preserves uteroplacental blood flow efficiently. A systemic review was carried out to find the efficacy and safety of labetalol in the treatment of PIH. Three thousand twenty-six studies were retrieved in 20 years. Finally, 28 studies were selected after applying the review criteria. Twenty-three studies detected that labetalol had superior or similar action compared to other drugs in controlling hypertension in patients with preeclampsia and eclampsia. The systematic review concluded that labetalol is a safe, effective, first-choice of drug with few side effects in treating PIH.