sodium nitroprusside
Last reviewed 01/2018
Nitroprusside infusion is used to treat:
- hypertensive crises:
- malignant hypertension
- severe hypertension with diastolic pressure >140 mmHg
- nitroprusside should be the drug of last resort, oral therapy being preferable
- start with a dose of 0.3 mcg/kg/hr
- adjust dose according to response (usually 0.5-6.0 mcg/kg/hr)
- acute congestive heart failure:
- start with infusion of 10-15 mcg/min
- increase dose every 5-10 min according to response
- maximum dose 280 mcg/minute