MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
Department of Pharmacy
Department of Nursing
Critical Care
| Generic Name: | Hydralazine |
| Trade Name: | Apresoline |
| Action: | Vasodilator |
| Indications: | Hypertension Afterload Reduction |
| Administration Guidelines: | |
| Usual Dosage Range and Route: | LOADING DOSE: 5 - 20 mg IVP every
30 minutes up to 400 mg as titrated to patient response. *LOADING DOSE IS USUALLY GIVEN PRIOR TO STARTING MAINTENANCE*
MAINTENANCE DOSE: 5 - 20 mg IVP as titrated to patient response repeated every 4 - 6 hours - After a stable dose has been determined RN may administer intermittent IVP maintenance doses |
| Special Considerations: |
- oral to IV conversion is approximately 2:1 - Should be used with caution in patients with ischemic heart disease - Lupus-like reaction; complete blood counts and ANA titers should be drawn periodically with long term therapy |
| Precautions and Side Effects: | - Hypotension - Reflex tachycardia, ventricular ectopy - Angina - Arthralgia, dizziness, fever - Rash |
Rev: 09/03