The “Rule of 55” For HDP: A Critical Review of a New Meta-Analysis

In 2019, the ACOG released CO 767 discussing “Emergent Therapy for Acute-Onset, Severe Hypertension During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period”. currently, 3 meds are recommended for the treatment of emergent hypertension in pregnancy: oral nifedipine, IV, labetalol, and IV hydralazine. But which one is “better” at normalizing blood pressure? A new meta-analysis, published on July 24, 2023, provides one answer. However, this meta-analysis did not take into account the most crucial factor determining success of antihypertensive medication: “The Rule of 55”. In this episode, we will review this new meta-analysis from the journal of Mat-Fetal Neonatal Medicine, and review the petition by hypertension experts to tailor antihypertensive treatments based on the “hemodynamic expression” of the hypertensive disorder in pregnancy.