Antihypertensive shortages putting pregnant women in danger, doctors warn
Associate Professor Amanda Henry said doctors were 'continually on a knife edge' when managing hypertension in pregnancy.
Doctors warn that the narrow range of antihypertensives available for pregnant women is facing serious supply issues, putting patients at risk of hospitalisation.
Only 11 out of more than 50 blood pressure medications approved in Australia have good safety data for use in pregnancy, with mainstay drugs such as ACEIs and ARBs contraindicated.
Both RANZCOG and the TGA have flagged issues with shortages or discontinuations for several of the remaining options.
For instance, oral labetalol was previously supplied by two manufacturers, but one ceased importing the drug in 2022 while the other “has had significant issues with supply logistics for over a year,” according to RANZCOG.
