Induced hypertension and hypervolemia for treatment of cerebral vasospasm.

The authors discuss a comprehensive management program for patients with cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage in which therapeutic manipulation and meticulous monitoring of a number of physiologic determinants of cardiac function are employed. Ventricular preload is most significantly affected by hypervolemic therapy, but alternate methods of reversing ischemic neurologic deficits with various inatropic agents are discussed also.