Abstract
In an open controlled trial women with pregnancy associated hypertension were allocated randomly to treatment with metoprolol and hydralazine or to an untreated control group. Antepartum cardiotocographs (CTGs) performed as non-stress tests were available from 65 patients in the drug-treated group (218 tests) and from 66 patients (263 tests) in the control group. CTGs from delivery were available from 55 patients in the drug-treated group and 49 controls.
Baseline fetal heart rate, long-term variability, accelerations and decelerations were registered. In the non-stress test there was a reduction in baseline frequency and accelerations were absent significantly more often in the drug-treated group. During delivery mild bradycardia was recorded only in the T group, but no other differences were noted.
The results of this study indicate that metoprolol affects CTG patterns. This has to be considered when interpreting tracings from patients treated with the drug