[The use of urapidil in the postoperative period]

Increases in blood pressure and heart rate often seen with endotracheal intubation during induction of anaesthesia and with extubation during termination of anaesthesia are dangerous for many patients. In 20 patients pretreated with urapidil, a new antihypertensive agent, changes in blood pressure and heart rate were compared with the haemodynamic parameters of 20 untreated patients. 0.6 mg/kg urapidil are given before induction of anaesthesia and 0.4 mg/kg +/- 0.2 mg/kg urapidil before its termination. The results show that urapidil is a suitable drug to avoid dangerous increases in blood pressure during such situations, without producing hypotension. Therefore urapidil is recommended as a supplementary therapy in high risk patients.