[Urapidil in intraoperative continuous infusion]

The author reports the results of a clinical experiment with Urapidil administered in continue infusion to induce controlled hypotension during hemilaminectomies. The reduction of pressure values is obtained after 15-20 minutes since the beginning of drug infusion (35-40% compared with the starting basis values); moreover, because of the double action mechanism of the drug (central and peripheral), "reflex tachycardia", a common symptom in hypotensive drugs used in the past, disappears. In addition, the author states that the absence of potentially toxic degrading metabolites and the lack of "rebound" hypertensive phenomena or tachyphylaxia assure very good administration and pharmacological security of the drug.