Sodium nitroprusside and propranolol therapy for management of postcoarctectomy hypertension

The cause of hypertension following satisfactory repair of coarctation of the aorta remains obscure. Most agree that significant elevation of the blood pressure after operation demands therapy. Previously the combination of trimethaphan and reserpine was utilized, but the incidence of adverse reactions was high. We recently have used the regimen of sodium nitroprusside and propranolol in six patients with gratifying results. This report reviews the problem as well as our use of nitroprusside and propranolol in managing hypertension following coarctation repair.