Aim. To study the antihypertensive efficacy of urapidil, as well as to determine the optimal target level of systolic blood pressure (BP) in patients with hypertensive crisis complicated by a hemorrhagic stroke.
Material and methods. Patients (n=86) aged 46-87 years (42 men and 44 women) who were admitted to hospital with hypertensive crisis complicated by a hemorrhagic stroke were included into the study. Patients were randomized into two groups: standard treatment (n=20) or urapidil treatment (n=66). The efficacy of treatment was assessed by clinical data, BP and heart rate dynamics. Patient survival was also assessed.
Results. Mortality in urapidil group was 33% vs 70% in standard therapy group. Systolic BP in urapidil group decreased from 208 (203-222) mm Hg to 159 (149-180) and to
145 (141-153) mm Hg after 20 and 220 minutes, respectively, (p<0.001 for both), and diastolic BP from 108 (102-119) mm Hg to 90 (82-97) and 82 (80-90) mm Hg, re- spectively. Significant BP dynamics was also observed in standard therapy group. The target systolic BP level of 136-147 mm Hg was associated with better patient survival. Conclusion. The patients in urapidil group reached the target BP by the 20-th minute from the start of treatment, and this was accompanied by a better survival.