“What drug is used in a hypertensive emergency?”
I am a 37 year old male. I want to know what drug is used in a hypertensive emergency?
4 Answers
EmergencyPhysicianEmergencyPhysician
Hypertensive emergencies are managed in the emergency department and it depends on your blood pressure level at the tie of treatment. If you have a dangerously elevated blood pressure, please go to the ER.
There are a variety of medications used in a hypertensive emergency to bring the blood pressure down. These include Nicardipine, Nimodipine (among calcium channel blockers), Labetalol and Metoprolol (among the beta-blockers or semi-beta-blockers), Hydralazine, Nitroglycerin, and others. The choice of medications depends on other cofactors, like the heart rate or the presence of lung disease or history of drug reactions (lupus-like autoimmune reactions, particularly). So, unfortunately, there is no "one regimen" that works in all cases of hypertensive emergency. The goal is to bring down the pressure rapidly, but safely.
Dr. Bandyopadhyay
Dr. Bandyopadhyay