Anticonvulsant for preeclampsia: Magnesium sulfate or Diazepam ?

Abstract

Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder which is still the leading cause of maternal death today. The occurrence of seizures in preeclampsia (eclampsia) increases the risk of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Therefore, seizure in preeclampsia should be prevented and should be managed accurateely. The standard therapy for managing severe preeclampsia/eclampsia is the use of an anticonvulsant that is aimed to prevent/stop seizures, prevent the recurrence of attacks, to minimize and to manage their complications, and optimize the time for the birth of the baby. On the other hand, the selection of anticonvulsants needed is still controversial, so debates and studies on the effectiveness between each anticonvulsant are necessary. Comparative research between magnesium sulfate and diazepam is widely carried out, both retrospective and prospective. Magnesium sulfate is more effective than diazepam, especially in terms of overcoming seizures, and suppressing maternal mortality and perinatal morbidity, so the choice of magnesium sulfate over diazepam is more realistic.