INFLUENCE OF URAPIDIL ON CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID PRESSURE IN HUMANS WITH UNCOMPROMISED INTRACRANIAL COMPLIANCE

Objective: Determine the influence of urapidil on mean lumbar cerebros pinal fluid pressure (CSFP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), mean centra l venous pressure (CVP) and heart rate (HR) in awake humans without an y evidence of cerebral or cardiovascular disease. Design: Open, single -dose volunteer study. Interventions: CSFP was measured via a spinal n eedle after i.v. injection of a single dose of 0.2 mg kg(-1) urapidil in six volunteers (2 female, 4 male). Measurements and results: After administration of urapidil, CSFP increased from 7 +/- 1 mmHg to 10 +/- 1 mmHg (p < 0.05), MAP decreased from 88 +/- 7 mmHg to 74 +/- 5 mmHg (p < 0.05), CPP decreased from 81 +/- 7 mmHg to 64 +/- 5 mmHg (p < 0.0 5) and CVP decreased from 0 +/- 1 mmHg to -3 +/- 1 mmHg (p < 0.05). Co nclusion: Our data suggest that in humans with presumed normal intracr anial compliance the administration of urapidil causes a small but sta tistically significant increase in CSFP due to a parallel decrease in MAP.