A male patient presents with headache , profuse sweating and palpitations with a blood pressure of 180/120 mmHg . The drug of choice would be: (A) Nifedipine, (B) Labetalol, (C) Prazocin, (D) Phenoxy benzamine
Answer is B. Ref Harrison 19 th ed pg 1627 Symptomatic hypeension with diastolic pressure of 120 suggests a diagnosis of hypeensive emergency . Labetalol (IV) is the drug of choice for management of hypeensive emergency.