Neurocritical care
The most recent articles from:
Neurocrit Care
-
Excessive hypertension can challenge the brain's capacity to autoregulate cerebral blood flow, and can aggravate increased intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral edema. Hypotension may worsen ischemic damage in marginally perfused tissue, and in some cases can trigger cerebral vasodilation and ICP plateau waves. There is a lack of high-quality data regarding optimal BP management in these conditions. ⋯ To reduce BP, labetalol, esmolol, and nicardipine best meet these criteria. Sodium nitroprusside should be avoided in most neurological emergencies because of its tendency to raise ICP and cause toxicity with prolonged infusion. To elevate BP, the preferred agents are phenylephrine, dopamine, and norepinephrine.