Detection of feto-placental hemodynamic changes using doppler ultrasound during short term treatment with dipyridamole in cases of mild hypertension with pregnancy

ABSTRACT

The present study included 25 pregnant women having mild hypertension. Doppler ultrasound was done for each case included in the study before and after treatment with dipyridamole [75 mg tablet, three times daily] for one week with the objective of finding the effect of dipyridamole on fetal hemodynamic. The study consists of two subgroups. The first subgroup included 15 cases of mild pregnancy induced hypertension, their mean arterial blood pressure was 110.44 +/- 3.91 mmHg. It dropped to 105 +/- 4.34 mmHg after dipyridamole treatment. The second subgroup included 10 cases of controlled essential hypertension with pregnancy who were under treatment with alpha-methyl dopa [Aldomet] 250 mg tablets, three times daily from before pregnancy, their mean arterial blood pressure was 115.67 +/- 36.86 mmHg which dropped to 109.4 +/- 4.83 mmHg after dipyridamole treatment for one week. The mean A/B ratio in the fetal aorta, and umbilical artery of the total study group was found to drop from 6.77 +/- 3.91, and 2.92 +/- 0.63 before dipyridamole treatment to 4.49 +/- 1.32, and 2.26 +/- 0.38 after treatment in the two blood vessels respectively. Regarding the mean [RI] in the fetal aorta, and the umbilical artery of the total study group, it was found that it dropped from 0.82 +/- 0.71, and 0.64 +/- 0.29 before dipyridamole treatment to 0.75 +/- 0.09, and 0.25 +/- 0.08 after treatment in the two blood vessels respectively. The improvement in the Doppler parameters was observed to occur more among the PIH subgroup of patients when compared to the Ess. H. group. In conclusion, dipyridamole was found to have an effect on the fetal hemodynamics as it improve the A/B ratio, and it decreased the RI and PI in cases having hypertensive disease with pregnancy