Precautions
Methyldopa is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk. Methyldopa crosses the placenta, and may cause mild hypotension in neonates of treated mothers. Because it has been safely and successfully used to treat hypertension during pregnancy, some experts consider it to be the drug of choice for the treatment of nonemergent hypertension during pregnancy.
Is it safe to use methyldopa in pregnancy?
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Is Zoloft harmful during pregnancy?
Pregnancy-safe medications. When it comes to taking medication during pregnancy, it's best to keep these things in mind: Take the smallest effective dose, and never take more than the recommended dose. Read the label and check with your healthcare provider to confirm dosage information. Ask your provider how long it's safe for you to take the ...
Is it safe to take medication during pregnancy?
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Is methyldopa safe to take during pregnancy?
Methyldopa crosses the placenta, and may cause mild hypotension in neonates of treated mothers. Because it has been safely and successfully used to treat hypertension during pregnancy, some experts consider it to be the drug of choice for the treatment of nonemergent hypertension during pregnancy.
When should methyldopa be given?
If you are to take a single dose a day, take it in the morning after breakfast. If you are to take more than one dose a day, take the last dose no later than 6 p.m., unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
What is methyldopa used for?
Methyldopa belongs to the general class of medicines called antihypertensives. It is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure adds to the work load of the heart and arteries.
What is the safest blood pressure medication during pregnancy?
Methyldopa has been used for decades to treat high blood pressure in pregnancy and it appears to be safe....For the initial treatment of high blood pressure in pregnancy, these are the most commonly used and recommended medications:Labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate)Nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat)Methyldopa (Aldomet)
What is the most common side effect of methyldopa?
The more common side effects that can occur with methyldopa include: drowsiness. headache. lack of energy.
How quickly does methyldopa work?
After oral administration maximum reduction in blood pressure occurs in four to six hours. When patients reach an effective dosage, a smooth blood pressure response usually occurs in 12 to 24 hours.
What is the mechanism of action of methyldopa?
Mechanism of Action Alpha-methyldopa is converted to methyl norepinephrine centrally to decrease the adrenergic outflow by alpha-2 agonistic action from the central nervous system, leading to reduced total peripheral resistance and decreased systemic blood pressure.
What is another name for methyldopa?
Aldomet (methyldopa) is an antihypertensive drug used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). The brand name Aldomet is discontinued in the U.S. Generic forms may be available.
Does methyldopa lower heart rate?
Systemic administration of alpha-methyldopa decreased mean arterial blood pressure and body temperature and caused a short lasting increase in heart rate followed by a long lasting decrease.
What Is High BP in pregnancy?
You have gestational hypertension when: You have a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher and/or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher. The high blood pressure first happens after 20 weeks of pregnancy. You had normal blood pressure before pregnancy.
What causes high BP in pregnancy?
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that affects some pregnant women, typically after 20 weeks. It is a problem with the placenta that usually causes your blood pressure to rise. If left untreated, pre-eclampsia can be dangerous for you and your baby.
Is labetalol better than methyldopa?
Conclusions: Labetalol is better tolerated than methyldopa, gives more efficient control of blood pressure and may have a ripening effect on the uterine cervix.
Can I take methyldopa after giving birth?
Methyldopa is one of the medicines of choice for treating high blood pressure in pregnancy. When taken during pregnancy, treatment with methyldopa is reviewed soon after the birth of the baby, as other treatment options are then likely to be more suitable.
Does methyldopa lower heart rate?
Systemic administration of alpha-methyldopa decreased mean arterial blood pressure and body temperature and caused a short lasting increase in heart rate followed by a long lasting decrease.
How do you administer methyldopa?
How should this medicine be used? Methyldopa comes as a tablet and a liquid to take by mouth. It usually is taken two to four times a day. To help you remember to take methyldopa, take it around the same times every day.
Can I take methyldopa without food?
You can take your methyldopa tablets with or without food. Timing: Take your methyldopa doses at the same times each day. It is a good idea to start methyldopa or any new dose increase in the evening to reduce the chance of side effects.
What is the role of methyldopa in the body?
Methyldopa is an antihypertensive agent thought to act by stimulating α2-adrenergic receptors.
Does methyldopa cause miscarriage?
The limited available data do not demonstrate increased overall risks of congenital malformation or miscarriage following use of methyldopa in the first trimester but are inadequate to rule this out. While specific associations between first trimester methyldopa use and Ebstein’s anomaly, and digestive, genital and urinary tract defects have been reported in single studies, further analyses are needed to confirm or refute these associations. The limited available data do not currently raise concerns of increased risks of preterm delivery, small for gestational age, perinatal death, neonatal complications or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes directly related to methyldopa exposure.
How does methyldopa work?
The medication works by relaxing the blood vessels of the body so the heart does not have to work as hard. Another name for methyldopa is Aldomet. General Precautions: Hypertension is potentially dangerous during pregnancy.
Can methyldopa cause heart problems?
Methyldopa can have side effects if you have liver disease, kidney disease or heart disease. If you or a family member has a history of heart problems, including heart attack or stroke, tell your doctor before starting the medication.
Can you stop taking methyldopa while pregnant?
If you have hypertension and you’re taking methyldopa to treat the condition, do not stop taking the medication if you find out you’re pregnant. Contact the prescribing physician for more information on how your pregnancy will affect your hypertension.
Is methyldopa safe for breastfeeding?
Safe During Breastfeeding: Methyldopa is not associated with any negative side effects when taken by women who are breastfeeding. However, the increase in prolactin associated with the drug can cause an unexpected increase in milk production.
Does methyldopa affect pregnancy?
Effects on Pregnancy: Several studies have been completed on methyldopa use during pregnancy. According to reports, risk of pregnancy complications or infant birth defects does not increase with methyldopa use. Methyldopa has been around for a long time, which lends an extensive use history to the drug profile.
What is methyldopa?
Methyldopa lowers blood pressure by decreasing the levels of certain chemicals in your blood. This allows your blood vessels (veins and arteries) to relax (widen).
What medications affect methyldopa?
This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect methyldopa, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
What should I avoid while taking methyldopa?
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.
Can you take methyldopa if you have liver disease?
You should not use methyldopa if you have liver disease (especially cirrhosis ), or a history of liver problems caused by taking methyldopa. Do not use methyldopa if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine.
Does methyldopa harm a baby?
It is not known whether methyldopa will harm an unborn baby. However, having high blood pressure during pregnancy may cause complications such as diabetes or eclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure that can lead to medical problems in both mother and baby).
Can you take methyldopa with MAO inhibitor?
Do not use methyldopa if you have used a MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.
Can you take methyldopa if you have high blood pressure?
Keep using methyldopa as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life. Methyldopa can affect the results of certain medical tests.
When was the first trimester of Methyldopa study?
The first trimester was defined as time between conception and gestational week 12+6 days after last menstrual period. Methyldopa therapy may have started before conception or continued after the first trimester .
How much methyldopa is used for hypertension?
According to the study protocol, the treatment indication for methyldopa was chronic hypertension in all exposed women. The median daily dose was 500 mg; 54% of women had started methyldopa before conception. Methyldopa was used as single antihypertensive drug in the first trimester in 127 pregnancies. Details of methyldopa exposure and antihypertensive comedication are given in Figure 1 and Table S3 and Figure S3. Severe adverse drug reactions related to methyldopa, like hepatotoxicity, 24 were not reported in our cohort, but 4 patients stopped treatment because of other adverse reactions (allergic reaction, edema, diarrhea, and tachycardia).
How to evaluate methyldopa exposure?
To evaluate patterns of methyldopa exposure, cluster analysis based on start and duration of treatment was performed using the k-means algorithm, which aims to divide the points into k groups. To ensure homogeneity within clusters but keeping the number of clusters low, k was set to 4. 22
What is the largest prospective study to date on first-trimester methyldopa treatment in women with?
Our study is the largest prospective study to date on first-trimester methyldopa treatment in women with chronic hypertension. A major strength of the study is the approach with detailed and similar ascertainment of information on exposure and outcome across cohorts. Strengths and limitations of observational pregnancy outcome studies have been discussed elsewhere in detail. 17
Does methyldopa cause spontaneous abortion?
To our knowledge, risk of spontaneous abortion has not been analyzed for women with preexisting hypertension to date. We observed a tendency toward a higher rate of spontaneous abortion in the methyldopa group, which was not confirmed in the sensitivity analysis and could rather be related to chronic hypertension or comorbidities than to methyldopa exposure. The majority of the exposed women had already been on methyldopa before pregnancy. As methyldopa is rarely used in nonpregnant women, we can assume that most of these women were trying to conceive. This explains the lower rate of pregnancy terminations in the exposed cohort.
Why is hypertension important during pregnancy?
It is generally acknowledged that treatment of severe hypertension in pregnancy is important to reduce the risks for maternal complications like stroke and cardiac decompensation in pregnancy. 1 However, the decision for pharmacological treatment in pregnant women with mild hypertension is still a matter of debate and involves an individual risk benefit approach. 4 – 7
Does methyldopa affect pregnancy?
In addition, a nonpublished Michigan Medicaid surveillance study from 1985 to 1992, cited without further details by Briggs et al, 15 found no association between first trimester exposure to methyldopa in 242 pregnancies and congenital birth defects. A recent case–control study using the Dutch EUROCAT database (European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies) and prescription data found an association between methyldopa during pregnancy and anomalies of the digestive, genital, and urinary system based on only 3 cases each, with 1 child contributing to all 3 organ groups. 16
What is methyldopa used for?
Methyldopa is used to treat high blood pressure. Lowering your blood pressure will help reduce your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
What is the blood disorder that Methyldopa is associated with?
Blood disorder warning: Methyldopa may be associated with a deadly type of blood disorder called hemolytic anemia. With this condition, your red blood cells are destroyed. If it isn’t caught in time, this disorder can lead to death.
How to tell if methyldopa is working?
How to tell if the drug is working: You may not feel a change, but your blood pressure should decrease. This can be seen when you measure your blood pressure with a blood pressure monitor. Your doctor will also monitor your blood pressure to make sure methyldopa is working for you.
What happens if you miss a dose of a drug?
If you miss doses or don’t take the drug on schedule: Your medication may not work as well or may stop working completely. For this drug to work well, a certain amount needs to be in your body at all times.
How to avoid interactions with medications?
To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Is methyldopa a generic drug?
Methyldopa oral tablet is available as a generic drug. It’s not available as a brand-name drug.
Can methyldopa interact with other medications?
Methyldopa oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.