Rectal administration of perforated nifedipine capsules in acute severe hypertension in children.

Nine hypertensive children (mean age: 5.0 years (SD: 4.5), range: 10 months to 15 years) were administered nifedipine (capsule) rectally (0.2 to 0.5 mg/kg) when their blood pressures were over 170 mmHg systolic and/or over 110 mmhg diastolic, independent of their ages. The causes of hypertension were acute glomerulonephritis (n = 2), chronic glomerulonephritis (n = 2), renovascular hypertension (n = 4), and polycystic kidney (n = 1). Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures fell in all children after rectal administration of nifedipine, although the response of blood pressure was weak in one child with renovascular hypertension. Blood pressures were lowest at 30 to 60 minutes, and remained under 140 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic at least for three hours. Side-effects were headache in one child, palpitations in two children, and facial flushing in three. All of these symptoms were mild, and no special treatment was required. These findings suggest that rectal administration of nifedipine may be effective and the most reliable way to treat young children with severe or urgent hypertension.