Atenolol in the treatment of essential hypertension during pregnancy.

Atenolol has been studied prospectively in the management of ten patients with essential hypertension during pregnancy. Median supine BP fell significantly from 156/98 mmHg before treatment to 128/82 mmHg at term. Atenolol did not suppress cardiotocographic signs of foetal distress. Although there was one intrauterine death, the remaining nine babies had a median Apgar score at birth of 9 and a median weight which was 82% of the gestational mean. There were no cases of neonatal bradycardia or respiratory depression and the only case of hypoglycaemia was in a dysmature baby. These findings justify a formal study of beta-adrenoceptor blocker therapy in hypertensive diseases of pregnancy.