ICU · Pharmacology

Antihypertensives — ACEi, ARB, CCB, Beta-blockers & Vasodilators

Also known as Antihypertensives · ACE inhibitor · ARB · Calcium channel blocker · Beta-blocker · Sodium nitroprusside · Glyceryl trinitrate · Labetalol · Nicardipine · Clevidipine · Esmolol · Hydralazine · Phentolamine · Nimodipine

Antihypertensives — by mechanism: the RAS (ACEi — the bradykinin cough; the ARB); the CCB (the dihydropyridine — the amlodipine; the non-DHP — the verapamil/diltiazem); the beta-blockers (metoprolol β1-selective, labetalol α+β, esmolol ultra-short); the vasodilators (the SNP — the cyanide toxicity; the GTN; the hydralazine); the alpha-blockers (phentolamine — pheochromocytoma); the centrally acting (the methyldopa, the clonidine); the diuretics (furosemide — acute pulmonary oedema). ICU drug selection by indication: aortic dissection (beta-blocker first), intracerebral haemorrhage (nicardipine/clevidipine), pre-eclampsia (labetalol/hydralazine/nifedipine), eclampsia (magnesium sulfate).

Checked against its sources on 3 Sept 2026