Methyldopa Oral: Dosing and Precautions
Methyldopa guidance for hypertension in pregnancy, with gradual titration and hepatic monitoring precautions.
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Source reviewed
source date listed on the source page
Guide category
Oral drugs
Safety boundary
Prescription medicine information for clinician-guided use.
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Therapeutic action
Centrally acting antihypertensive.
Indications
Hypertension in pregnancy.
Forms and strengths
- 250 mg tablet.
Dose
- Initially 250 mg 2 to 3 times daily for 2 days, then increase gradually if necessary by 250 mg every 2 to 3 days until the optimal dose is reached, usually 1.5 g daily.
- Do not exceed 3 g daily.
Duration
According to clinical response. Do not stop treatment abruptly; reduce doses gradually.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to patients with active liver disease, history of drug-induced hepatitis, or severe depression.
- Administer with caution to patients with hepatic impairment, and reduce doses in renal impairment.
- May cause orthostatic hypotension, drowsiness, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, dry mouth, and rarely haematological, hepatic, mental, or allergic disorders.
- Stop treatment in the event of haemolytic anaemia or jaundice.
- In unexplained fever during treatment, check blood count and transaminases for possible hepatitis.
- Monitor combination with lithium, antidepressants, and CNS depressants.
- Pregnancy: no contra-indication.
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication.
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page combines source-derived medicine reference sections with Kenza editorial context, while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections from the source batch.
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