Pathophysiology and Current Clinical Management of Preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is characterized by blood pressure greater than 140/90 mmHg in the second half of pregnancy. This disease is a major contributor to preterm and low birth weight babies. The early delivery of the baby, which becomes necessary for maintaining maternal well-being, makes preeclampsia the leading cause for preterm labor and infant mortality and morbidity. Currently, there is no cure for this pregnancy disorder. The current clinical management of PE is hydralazine with labetalol and magnesium sulfate to slow disease progression and prevent maternal seizure, and hopefully prolong the pregnancy. This review will highlight factors implicated in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia and current treatments for the management of this disease.