Sodium Nitroprusside Treatment for Control of Decompensated Heart Failure

Hypertensive crisis is thought to be initiated by an abrupt increase in systemic vascular resistance, likely related to humoral vasoconstrictors. Left ventricular dilatation and failure may develop as a result of increased afterload due to hypertension. Left heart failure may result in secondary pulmonary hypertension by increasing pulmonary venous pressure. Here, we report the effects of sodium nitroprusside for treatment of hypertensive crisis complicated with acute left ventricular dilatation, heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension in a 10-year-old female patient. This article presents a complex clinical case treated by simple medication. [Med-Science 2014; 3(2.000): 1269-76