Methyldopa

Summary

Methyldopa is a medication used during pregnancy to lower blood pressure. It can be used to treat eclampsia and preeclampsia. Potential side effects include the “3 D’s”: drowsiness, dizziness, and dry mouth.

Key Points

• Methyldopa (Aldomet)
  • Mechanism
    • Alpha-2 adrenergic agonist
      • Stimulates alpha-adrenergic receptors, leading to a decreased blood pressure
      • Same drug class as clonidine, and has several of the same side effects
  • Clinical Use
    • Hypertension
      • Used to treat hypertension during pregnancy and gestational hypertension
    • Preeclampsia
      • First line therapy for mild preeclampsia
      • Preeclampsia is severely high blood pressure that occurs after week 20 in pregnancy in women who otherwise have normal blood pressure. It can be life threatening if not managed.
  • Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
    • Dizziness
    • Drowsiness
    • Dry mouth
    • Peripheral edema
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Headache
    • Fever