American journal of perinatology
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Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy constitute one of the most frequent medical complications during gestation. Unfortunately, maternal and perinatal mortality remains significant worldwide in this population. Not infrequently, patients with severe preeclampsia will need parenteral agents to achieve rapid blood pressure control to avoid end-organ damage. ⋯ Nicardipine has been used extensively in different clinical settings including neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, transplant medicine, and internal medicine patients. Minimal data exist in the literature regarding the use of this medicine during pregnancy. The purpose of this article is to review the pharmacological properties of nicardipine, the available literature regarding its use during pregnancy, and potential interactions with other medicines used commonly in preeclampsia, as well as potential side effects directly affecting the peripartum period.
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Intrauterine closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus is a rare but serious condition. It can lead to congestive heart failure, fetal hydrops, and fetal death. ⋯ Postnatal therapies aimed at pulmonary hypertension or with medications that maintain the patency of the ductus arteriosus are variably successful. We present the neonatal course of a full-term neonate with severe pulmonary hypertension and intrauterine closure of the ductus arteriosus who survived to early infancy.