Effect of vasoactive therapy on cerebral circulation

Abstract

Many questions regarding blood pressure management after acute stroke remain unanswered, resulting in an ongoing debate about whether to treat hypertension acutely and how aggressively blood pressure should be lowered. This review discusses normal and altered cerebrophysiology and provides evidence supporting and opposing the active management of blood pressure within the first 24 hours after stroke. Commonly used intravenous antihypertensive agents and their cerebrovascular effects are reviewed, and therapeutic recommendations are given based on the available evidence.