Nicardipine safe and cost-effective antihypertensive for infants undergoing cardiac surgery: Study

• A total of 59 patients underwent 70 procedures (24 as neonates and 46 as infants).
• Nicardipine was administered as initial therapy following 33 procedures (n = 28 patients), and sodium nitroprusside was administered as initial therapy following 37 index procedures (n = 31 patients).
• The duration of treatment was longer when sodium nitroprusside was the initial treatment.
• 15% patients that received nicardipine required a second blood pressure management agent, and 19% patients that received sodium nitroprusside required a second agent.
• No adverse events related to titratable antihypertensive therapy were recorded in any treatment group.
• The use of nicardipine resulted in significant medication cost reduction. Based on average wholesale price, patient costs for sodium nitroprusside use were $182,952 ($5,544/pt), while costs for nicardipine were only $24,960 ($780/pt).

"Nicardipine can be safely used as a first-line antihypertensive in infants," wrote the authors. "Nicardipine use as initial antihypertensive therapy instead of sodium nitroprusside can lead to a significant reduction in medication costs without jeopardizing clinical outcomes."

Reference:

Lushaj E, Hermsen JL, Nelson K, Amond K, Bogenschutz M, Arndt S, Wilhelm M, Anagnostopoulos PV. Nicardipine Is a Safe, Efficacious, and Cost-Effective Antihypertensive for Neonates and Young Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2022 May;13(3):341-345. doi: 10.1177/21501351221080173. PMID: 35446217.