Table 3: Antihypertensive treatment for urgent control

in severe arterial hypertension.

Medication

Dose

Comment

Onset of

action

(minutes)

Labetalol

10-20 mg IV, followed by 20-80 mg every 10-30 minutes to a maximum cumulative dose of 300 mg, or 1-2 mg/min IV infusion

Avoid in women with asthma, myocardial disease, decompensated heart failure, advanced heart block, and bradycardia

1-2

Hydralazine

5 mg IV or IM, then 5-10 mg IV every 20-40 minutes up to a maximum cumulative dose of 20 mg, or infusion of

0.5-10 mg/hour

Higher or more frequent doses are associated with maternal hypotension, headache, and abnormal fetal heart rate tracing

10-20

Oral

nifedipine

(immediate

release)

10-20 mg PO, repeat

in 20 minutes, if necessary, then 10-20 mg every 2-6 hours, maximum daily dose 180 mg

Reflex tachycardia and headache as secondary effects

5-10

IM = intramuscular; IV = intravenous; PO = orally.