Open AccessInfluence of the β 1 ‐Adrenoceptor Blocker Atenolol on Antenatal Cardiotocography
Author(s) -
Montan Sven,
Solum Thore,
Sjöberg NilsOtto
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348409157133
Subject(s) - cardiotocography , atenolol , medicine , obstetrics , fetus , basal (medicine) , heart rate , pregnancy , gestation , anesthesia , blood pressure , genetics , insulin , biology
. Forty term patients with pregnancy‐induced hypertension were treated with the β 1 ‐adrenoceptor blocker atenolol (Tenormin R ; ICI) for at least 7 days prior to parturition. The antenatal cardiotocography (CTG) was visually analysed before and during treatment. The mean basal fetal heart rate (FHR) decreased from 143±7 beats per minute (bpm) to 13328 bpm. In 13.1% of the recordings in treated patients there was a decrease in long‐term variability for a period of more than 20 minutes; this was observed in only 2.3% prior to treatment. The amplitude of the accelerations was reduced from 23±6 bpm to 18±4 bpm. It was demonstrated that atenolol affected antenatal CTG, and this has to be taken into consideration when interpreting antenatal CTG as one parameter for evaluation of fetal well‐being.