Prolonged nitroprusside and intermittent hemodialysis as therapy for intractable hypertension.

Nitroprusside was used with intermittent hemodialysis over a 26-day period in a 6-year-old boy with intractable hypertension. Hemodialysis effectively removed thiocyanate from the blood, thus preventing its accumulation and subsequent toxic manifestations. Prolonged nitroprusside infusion maintained arterial blood pressure at acceptable levels until the patient became responsive to other antihypertensive therapy.