How is eclampsia treated by the critical care team?

Manage symptoms: Intensivists work with the obstetricians in a multidisciplinary, multispecialty collaborative practice team. Major treatment is to treat symptoms and manage preeclampsia. Specific treatment may include control of blood pressure, drugs for seizures. The only real treatment is delivery of the baby; the ICU team helps control the symptoms until the OB believes risk/benefit is in favor of delivery.

Magnesium, airway!: The important goa;s of eclampsia management include prevention of trauma/aspiration and maintenance of adequate aeration and blood pressure. Magnesium sulfate is used for resolution of the seizure. Oxygen is administered and intubation may become necessary in rare cases to protect the airway and prevent aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs.