No controlled studies have defined optimum BP levels for patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke, but greatly elevated BP is thought to lead to rebleeding and hematoma expansion. Stroke may result in loss of cerebral autoregulation of cerebral perfusion pressure. Intensive BP reduction (target BP < 140 mm Hg systolic) early in the treatment of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage appears to lessen the absolute growth of hematomas, particularly in patients who have received previous antithrombotic therapy, according to a combined analysis of the Intensive Blood Pressure Reduction in Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage Trials 1 and 2 (INTERACT).
Suggested agents for use in the acute setting are beta blockers (eg, labetalol) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) (eg, enalapril). For more refractory hypertension, agents such as nicardipine and hydralazine are used. Avoid nitroprusside…
