[Treatment of arterial hypertension after surgery of the abdominal aorta: comparison of captopril and nifedipine administrated sublingually].

Treatment of high blood pressure after abdominal aortic surgery requires, because of adynamic ileus, the use of intravenously or sublingually (SL) administered drugs. The hemodynamic responses to captopril 25 mg SL (n = 10) and to nifedipine 10 mg SL (n = 10) were studied for 2 hours in patients (mean age 66 years) with arterial hypertension (mean blood pressure, Pa > or = 115 mmHg) the day after abdominal aortic surgery. Patients with bilateral renal artery stenoses, identified with the preoperative angiogram, were excluded. Systemic arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular pressures were measured using a femoral catheter and a pulmonary artery catheter respectively. Cardiac output (Q) was determined by thermodilution. [table: see text] Captopril and nifedipine significantly decreased pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure and right atrial pressure. No deterioration of renal function was observed. In conclusion, captopril and nifedipine SL are effective and well tolerated for the treatment of high blood pressure after abdominal aortic surgery.