[Antihypertensive therapy using nicardipine hydrochloride in the treatment of aortic aneurysm]

A rapid and significant vasodepressor effect was obtained during acute stage before and after surgery on aortic aneurysm with continuous antihypertensive therapy using nicardipine hydrochloride. Twenty patients were treated; 6 patients had an acute dissecting aneurysm of the aorta, 8 were postoperative cases following resection of the thoracic aortic aneurysm, and 6 were postoperative cases of the abdominal aortic aneurysm. Nicardipine hydrochloride is easy to administer, has few side effects, and was found to be effective as antihypertensive therapy before and after surgery. The use of nicardipine hydrochloride has therefore been adopted by this unit as part of the treatment protocol for these patients.