Acute treatment of hypertensive crisis with nifedipine

Ten patients with a hypertensive crisis and a decreased renal function were treated with 10 (n = 7) or 20 (n = 3) mg nifedipine sublingually. Blood pressure was reduced in 60 min from 211 +/- 4/134 +/- 5 to 172 +/- 6/107 +/- 6 mm Hg. The decrease of blood pressure was accompanied by a rise in heart rate from 83 +/- 6 to 98 +/- 5 beats/min. In all seven patients with an encephalopathy signs of this complication were reduced. No serious side-effects were observed.