Drugs acting on the heart: antihypertensive drugs

Antihypertensive drugs are used commonly in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine. Patients might require antihypertensive drugs before surgery for the treatment of essential hypertension, pre-eclampsia or occasionally for conditions such as phaeochromocytoma; during surgery as part of a deliberate hypotensive anaesthestic technique; or to reduce postoperative cardiovascular complications. Here, we discuss the physiology of blood pressure control, the pharmacology of antihypertensive drugs, current guidelines and practical applications of antihypertensive therapy.