A Comparative Study of Efficacy of Oral Labetalol with Oral Amlodipine in Achieving Postpartum Blood-Pressure Control

Background: Hypertensive disorders remain a significant cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the postpartum period. This study compares the effectiveness and safety of oral labetalol and oral amlodipine in controlling postpartum blood pressure. Methods: A prospective randomized comparative study was conducted at [Institution Name] on 120 postpartum women with systolic BP ?150 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ?100 mmHg within 48 hours of delivery. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either oral labetalol (100 mg BD) or oral amlodipine (5 mg OD). Blood pressure was monitored over 72 hours. Primary outcomes included the time taken to achieve blood pressure control and the number of doses required. Secondary outcomes included maternal side effects and the need for additional antihypertensive therapy. Results: Amlodipine achieved blood pressure control significantly faster than labetalol (22.4 ? 6.2 hours vs.30.3 ? 5.7 hours, p < 0.001). Fewer doses were needed in the amlodipine group. Both drugs had minimal side effects, with headache being more common in the amlodipine group and fatigue in the labetalol group. No severe adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: Oral amlodipine is more effective than oral labetalol in achieving rapid blood pressure control in postpartum women and has an acceptable safety profile. It may be considered a preferable choice for initial management of postpartum hypertension.