IV labetalol and oral nifedipine in acute control of severe hypertension in pregnancy-A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of intravenous labetalol with oral nifedipine in the treatment of severe hypertension in pregnancy with blood pressure ≥160/110 mm Hg.

Design, Setting And Participants: We conducted a parallel double-blinded randomized controlled trial between December 2014 to December 2016 in 120 antenatal women of gestational age >28 weeks, admitted with severe hypertension of blood pressure ≥160/110 mm Hg to maternity ward at a tertiary hospital. The labetalol group received 20 mg initially followed by escalating doses of 40 mg, 80 mg, 80 mg and 80 mg (5 doses) every 15 min to a maximum of 300 mg.