Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), sold under the brand name Nitropress among others, is a medication used to lower blood pressure.[1] This may be done if the blood pressure is very high and resulting in symptoms, in certain types of heart failure, and during surgery to decrease bleeding.
Sodium nitroprusside injection is used for lowering of blood pressure immediately in adults and children with high blood pressure. This medicine is also used to reduce bleeding during surgery, and treats acute heart failure.
Infusion of sodium nitroprusside should therefore be started at a very low rate (0.3 mcg/kg/min), with upward titration every few minutes until the desired effect is achieved or the maximum recommended infusion rate (10 mcg/kg/min) has been reached.