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. 2023 Mar:31:73-83.
doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2023.01.001. Epub 2023 Jan 9.

Risk of major congenital malformations associated with first-trimester antihypertensives, including amlodipine and methyldopa: A large claims database study 2010-2019

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Risk of major congenital malformations associated with first-trimester antihypertensives, including amlodipine and methyldopa: A large claims database study 2010-2019

Tomofumi Ishikawa et al. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the major congenital malformation (MCM) risk of first-trimester antihypertensive exposure, specifically of amlodipine and methyldopa.

Study design: A large administrative claims database was used.

Main outcome measures: The prevalence of antihypertensive prescriptions during pregnancy was described in 91,390 women giving birth between 2010 and 2019. The MCM risk of first-trimester antihypertensives was evaluated in 1,185 women diagnosed with hypertensive disorders in the first trimester. The MCM risk of first-trimester amlodipine and methyldopa was evaluated in 178 women who were prescribed antihypertensives in the first trimester.

Results: Antihypertensives were prescribed to 278 (0.30%) women during their first trimester. The prescription prevalence in the first trimester was highest for methyldopa (115, 0.13%), followed by amlodipine (55, 0.06%). Antihypertensives were prescribed to 2,955 (3.23%) women during pregnancy. Nifedipine (903, 0.99%) and nicardipine (758, 0.83%) were the most frequently prescribed oral and injectable antihypertensives during pregnancy, both with a significant increase in annual prevalence. Of the 1,185 women diagnosed with hypertensive disorders in the first trimester, antihypertensives were prescribed to 178 women. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of MCMs in the first-trimester prescription of any antihypertensive medication was 1.124 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.618-2.045). Amlodipine and methyldopa were prescribed to 44 and 93 of the 178 women, respectively. The aORs of MCMs in the first-trimester prescription of amlodipine and methyldopa were 1.219 (95% CI, 0.400-3.721) and 0.921 (0.331-2.564), respectively.

Conclusions: The MCM risk of first-trimester exposure to antihypertensives, including amlodipine and methyldopa, was not suggested.

Keywords: Amlodipine; Antihypertensive; Birth defects; Methyldopa; Pregnancy; Teratogenicity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest Tomofumi Ishikawa is an employee of Pfizer R&D in Japan and a research collaborator at Tohoku University and has contributed to the present study independently of Pfizer R&D, Japan. Manabu Akazawa received consultation fees from RAD-AR: Risk/Benefit Assessment of Drugs Analysis and Response. Nariyasu Mano received presentation fees from Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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