**4.7 Blood pressure management**

There is general consensus that hypertension should be controlled after SAH and until the ruptured aneurysm is secured. However, specific parameters for blood pressure have not been defined and data are sparse. Early retrospective studies suggest a higher rate of rebleeding with SBP greater than 160 mm Hg and severity of initial hemorrhage [88]. Therefore, the ASA and Neurocritical Care Society recommend maintaining SBP less than 160 mm Hg and mean arterial pressure less than 110 mm Hg before the ruptured aneurysm is secured to reduce the risk of rebleeding [86, 87, 89, 90]. The ideal antihypertensive to use in SAH would be a parenteral agent that produces a rapid and reproducible dose response while concurrently minimizing adverse cerebral effects. Labetalol, nicardipine, and clevidipine are agents recommended by the ASA [86].
