Sublingual enalapril in hypertensive crisis. A preliminary study
Pose Reino, A.; González-Juanatey, J.R.; Fernández Velo, J.L.; Amaro Cendón, A.; Bugallo Paz, L.; Gil de la Peña, M.
Anales de Medicina Interna 6(8): 421-423
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0212-7199 PMID: 2562344 Document Number: 333535
The effects of a new angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), enalapril via sublingual was studied in 16 patients (median age 60.5 +/- 8.7 years). 10 were female and 6 male with hypertension crisis defined as systolic pressure (SP) greater than or equal to 220 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure greater than or equal to 120 mmHg (DP). We observed a significant decrease of SP and DP 20 min after the enalapril administration, without affecting the cardiac rate (p less than 0.001). This decrease was maintained during 30 and 60 min (p less than 0.001). Secondary effects were not observed. We concluded that sublingual enalapril can be a useful drug in hypertension crisis when not an urgent life compromising situation in elderly patients, because of its gradual hypotensive and maintained effect, allowing the commencement of an oral treatment.