12/15/2020
Preeclampsia - BOOKMARK this post to use for future studying!
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Like this post for more maternity content! Hereβs a helpful chart to distinguish the difference in nursing interventions between mild and severe preeclampsia! In general, severe preeclampsia needs urgent medical treatment and must be monitored more frequently. These patients are more likely to enter an eclampsia (seizure) event. β β β β β β β β β
Letβs examine some of the terminology used within this post to make it more clear for your understanding.
Bed rest: This helps to keep the blood pressure low, but also to decrease stimulation of the CNS to decrease the risk of an eclampsia event. β β β β β β β β β
Deep tendon reflexes: Examine the biceps and patellar reflexes as well as for clonus (involuntary muscle contractions). If hyperreflexia is noted then this indicates increased CNS irritability. β β β β β β β β β
HELLP Syndrome: HELLP stands for hemolysis (low RBC), elevated liver enzymes (AST and ALT), and low platelet count. It is important to monitor blood work as HELLP syndrome can cause further complications such as disseminated intravascular coagulation, placental abruption and kidney failure. Typically HELLP syndrome is seen in severe preeclampsia, but must be monitored for in mild preeclampsia. β β β β β β β β β
Magnesium Toxicity symptoms: Magnesium sulphate helps decrease the CNS response, thus if toxicity is present, the patient will have symptoms that indicate such. These symptoms include flushing, sweating, hypotension, depressed deep tendon reflexes, respiratory depression. If these are noted during assessment then the antidote of calcium gluconate must be administered. β β β β β β β β β
Induction of Labor: This is the ONLY cure to preeclampsia and eclampsia. Other interventions are used as management. Once the infant is delivered, in most cases the motherβs blood pressure will return to normal and seizures will cease.
