Objective: An open, randomized, prospective, multicenter trial was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous ketanserin, a selective serotonin 2 receptor blocker, with that of intravenous dihydralazine in the management of severe early-onset (<32 weeks' gestation) preeclampsia. End points of this study were blood pressure control and maternal outcome.
Study design: Patients with a diastolic blood pressure >110 mm Hg were randomly assigned to receive either ketanserin (n = 22) or dihydralazine (n = 22) as initial therapy. Plasma volume expansion preceded antihypertensive treatment, which was administered according to a fixed schedule.
Results: The reductions in blood pressure with the 2 drugs were similar; however, adequate blood pressure control was reached significantly earlier with ketanserin (84 +/_ 63 vs 171 +/- 142 minutes, P = .017). Occurrence of maternal complications was significantly lower among patients who received ketanserin than among patients who received dihydralazine (n = 6 vs n = 18, P =.0007). A significant difference in favor of ketanserin was noted in daily fluid balance.
Conclusion: Antihypertensive efficacies of ketanserin and dihydralazine were comparable, but significantly fewer maternal complications were noted among the patients receiving ketanserin. Ketanserin is an attractive alternative in the management of severe early-onset preeclampsia.