Hypertensive disorders: choice of drug in asthma: practice question

A OBG question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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OBG · Hypertensive disorders: choice of drug in asthma

Sample item

A woman at 33 weeks with bronchial asthma has a blood pressure of 168/112 mmHg and needs urgent oral treatment. Which choice is better?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Oral nifedipine

Labetalol and other beta-blockers can precipitate bronchospasm in asthma, so a calcium channel blocker is preferred. Nifedipine acts quickly orally. Nitroprusside is avoided in pregnancy except as a last resort because of the risk of fetal cyanide toxicity.

Option by option

  • A. Oral propranolol

    Propranolol is a non-selective beta-blocker and is more likely to worsen asthma.

  • B. Intravenous sodium nitroprusside

    Nitroprusside is a last resort because of cyanide toxicity to the fetus.

  • C. Oral nifedipine (correct)

    Correct. Nifedipine lowers pressure without bronchospasm.

  • D. Intravenous labetalol

    Labetalol has beta-blocking action and can trigger bronchospasm in asthma.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More OBG questions

Questions about this OBG question

What is the answer to this OBG question?

The best answer is C, Oral nifedipine. Labetalol and other beta-blockers can precipitate bronchospasm in asthma, so a calcium channel blocker is preferred.

Why is "Oral propranolol" not the answer?

Propranolol is a non-selective beta-blocker and is more likely to worsen asthma.

Why is "Intravenous sodium nitroprusside" not the answer?

Nitroprusside is a last resort because of cyanide toxicity to the fetus.

Why is "Intravenous labetalol" not the answer?

Labetalol has beta-blocking action and can trigger bronchospasm in asthma.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Hypertensive disorders: choice of drug in asthma in OBG. Nifedipine acts quickly orally. Nitroprusside is avoided in pregnancy except as a last resort because of the risk of fetal cyanide toxicity.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Hypertensive disorders: choice of drug in asthma?

Learn management algorithms as steps: PPH, eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Then use the flashcards and the other OBG questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.