There is important evidence in favor of the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors for treating hypertensive urgencies , compared with calcium channel blockers , considering the better effectiveness and the lower frequency of adverse effects ( like headache and flushing )
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Hypertensive urgencies are defined as severe elevations in blood pressure without evidence of acute or progressive target-organ damage .
The need for treatment is considered urgent but allows for slow control using oral or sublingual drugs .
If the increase in blood pressure is not associated with risk to life or acute target-organ damage , blood pressure control must be implemented slowly over 24 hours .
For hypertensive urgencies , it is not known which class of antihypertensive drug provides the best results and there is controversy regarding when to use antihypertensive drugs and which ones to use in these situations .
The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of oral drugs for hypertensive urgencies .
A randomized comparison of nifedipine and sodium nitroprusside in severe hypertension.
We r and omized patients with severe hypertension in the Medical Intensive Care Unit to a treatment regimen of oral nifedipine or intravenous nitroprusside . Patients treated with nifedipine achieved a sustained reduction in diastolic blood pressure to less than or equal to 120 mm Hg in an average of less than five hours . Patients treated with nitroprusside achieved a similar reduction in 14 hours ( p less than 0.05 ) . Treatment with nifedipine was less expensive and required less time in the ICU than treatment with nitroprusside and was accompanied by no associated increase in morbidity or mortality . Oral nifedipine can be used as an alternative to intravenous nitroprusside in severe uncomplicated hypertension
There is important evidence in favor of the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors for treating hypertensive urgencies , compared with calcium channel blockers , considering the better effectiveness and the lower frequency of adverse effects ( like headache and flushing )
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Hypertensive urgencies are defined as severe elevations in blood pressure without evidence of acute or progressive target-organ damage .
The need for treatment is considered urgent but allows for slow control using oral or sublingual drugs .
If the increase in blood pressure is not associated with risk to life or acute target-organ damage , blood pressure control must be implemented slowly over 24 hours .
For hypertensive urgencies , it is not known which class of antihypertensive drug provides the best results and there is controversy regarding when to use antihypertensive drugs and which ones to use in these situations .
The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of oral drugs for hypertensive urgencies .