RESUMEN
Hypertensive crisis is defined as a severe elevation in blood pressure [BP] without target organ injury. There are few data about the efficacy and safety of comparative oral antihypertensive drugs. To compare the efficacy and safety of oral captopril [25 mg] and nicardipine [20 mg] in hypertensive crisis. This prospective, randomized study included 50 patients attended at the emergency department with a hypertensive crisis [arterial blood pressure of at least 180/110 mmHg without target organ damage confirmed after 15 min of rest. Systolic [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure [DBP] and heart rate [HR] were assessed at several intervals during 4 h after the drug administration. Therapeutic success was defined by a SBP 70 years was a predictor's factor of therapeutic failure in the captopril group. Heart rate significantly dropped after 30 min in the captopril group [82.3 +/- 11.8 vs 77.6 +/- 12.7 c/min; p=0.037]. This effect was maintained over four hours. There were no side effects in this study. Oral captopril or nicardipine are efficacy and safe in the treatment of hypertensive crisis