Perioperative acute hypertension - role of clevidipine butyrate

Perioperative hypertension is one of the major contributors for increased morbidity and mortality and is also the leading cause for cancellation of elective surgical procedures. It increases the surgical risk, worsens treatment outcome and increases the economic burden on health care system. Currently, there are multiple medications available to control perioperative hypertension. However, their use may be associated with the risk of serious adverse effects. Compared to the existing medications, Clevidipine butyrate has obvious advantages and can be safely used for perioperative control of elevated blood pressure (BP) in surgical patients. In this current article, we discuss various aspects of general and pharmacological management of perioperative hypertension, benefits and advantages of perioperative use of clevidipine and future considerations for its application.