Pyretotherapy and Subcutaneous Hexamethonium in the Treatment of Severe and Malignant Hypertension

The permanent lowering of arterial pressure in cases of malignant and severe hypertension is of paramount importance. A new treatment that combines subcutaneous administration of hexamethonium with fever therapy produced by intravenous injections of bacterial vaccine is described. Reduction of blood pressure to normal levels and improvement of eye grounds, electrocardiogram, heart condition and subjective symptoms were obtained. The basis for these effects could be the potentiation of the action of hexamethonium produced by the induced fever.