Antihypertensive case 2

(by Eric Knudtson, M.D., 1997-used with permission; edited by Michael Gordon, Ph.D. 1999)

You are the obstetrics intern on call for a large county hospital and you have been asked to evaluate an ER patient.
This patient is a 17 year old primigravida with no prenatal care who by dates and exam appears to be approximately thirty four weeks gestation.
The patient tells you she has had approximately two days headache unrelieved with Tylenol, and her mother tells you "her face has swollen."
She admits on review of systems to "seeing flashing lights" and on physical exam she is noted to have marked hyperreflexia.
You have a differential diagnosis in mind, but as you order the appropriate tests the patient begins to have a tonic-clonic seizure.

Antihypertensive Case #2