A Comparision of Tablet Nifedipine with Tablet Methyldopa in Controlling Mild to Moderate Pregnancy induced Hypertension (PIH)

Objective: To compare the efficacy of tablet nifedipine and tablet methyldopa in controlling mild to moderate pregnancy induced hypertension. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi Pakistan from 01 May 2019 to October 2019. Methodology: Two hundred and thirty six patients with mild to moderate pregnancy induced hypertension were selected and randomized based on lottery method to either group A or group B. Group A received tablet Methyldopa 250mg TDS while Group B received tablet Nifedipine 10mg bd. BP was checked 4 hourly for 24 hours and then decided which medicine control the BP best. Results: The mean age of the study group was 30.39 +/- 5.087 years. There was no statistically significant difference in the age of both groups. The majority of the patient in our study was multigravida, in the last trimester of pregnancy and had a history of hypertension in previous pregnancy. There were eight treatment failure in Methyldopa group while two treatment failure in Nifedipine group. Thus Methyldopa and Nifedipine had comparable efficacy in controlling blood pressure. Conclusion: Nifedipine is equally effective as compare to Methyldopa in controlling mild to moderate hypertension in pregnancy and can be considered as effective alternative to Methyldopa.