Effect of magnesium sulfate on maternal brain blood flow in preeclampsia: a randomized, placebo-controlled study.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 6 gm intravenous bolus of magnesium sulfate on maternal brain blood flow velocity waveforms in patients with preeclampsia. STUDY DESIGN: Twelve patients with preeclampsia were randomized to two groups and studied with Doppler ultrasonography before and immediately after infusion of either a 6 gm intravenous loading dose of magnesium sulfate or a placebo. The middle cerebral, common carotid, and internal carotid arteries were studied. RESULTS: Magnesium sulfate significantly reduced the pulsatility index in the middle cerebral artery (change in pulsatility index = -0.16 + 0.09) when compared with the placebo (change in pulsatility index = -0.02 + 0.06), p = 0.01. There were no significant changes in the Doppler indexes of the carotid vessels. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that magnesium sulfate vasodilates the smaller-diameter intracranial vessels distal to the middle cerebral artery and may exert its main effect in the prophylaxis and treatment of eclampsia by relieving cerebral ischemia.[1]References
- Effect of magnesium sulfate on maternal brain blood flow in preeclampsia: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Belfort, M.A., Moise, K.J. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. (1992) [Pubmed]
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