European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

MAGNESIUM SULFATE (EPSOM SALT): A FORGOTTEN SALT FOR THE TREATMENT OF PREECLAMPSIA AND ECLAMPSIA

Vijay Yadav*, Binay Gupta and Arun Roy

ABSTRACT

Preeclampsia is a condition that affects the pregnant women. It is marked by high blood pressure in women during pregnancy who may not have experienced high blood pressure before. Preeclamptic women will have a high level of protein in the urine and often also have swelling in the feet, leg and hands. This condition usually appears late in pregnancy, usually in the third trimester of pregnancy and worsen over time. If undiagnosed, preeclampsia can lead to eclampsia, a serious condition that can put the baby and mother at risk, and in some cases may cause death. Seizures are considered to have eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia is alife threatening multisystem disorder affecting 2-8% of all pregnancies worldwide[1]. Preeclampsia and eclampsia account for about 9% of maternal deaths in africa and asia and about one quarter of the maternal deaths in latin America and Caribbean and in some part of the northern Nigeria eclampsia contributes almost one third of maternal mortality.[2] Magnesium sulphate is the treatment of choice for the eclampsia and prophylaxis of eclampsia in patients with severe preeclampsia.[3] Symptoms of preeclampsia: In some women, preeclampsia develops without any symptoms. High blood pressure, the major sign of preeclampsia, usually occurs suddenly. Due to that, it is important for expectant mothers to monitor their blood pressure closely, especially during the early part of their pregnancy. A blood pressure reading of 140/90mm/hg, taken at two separate times at least four hours apart, is considered abnormal.

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