Hypertensive emergency is a common problem requiring an effective, safe and easily administrable agent to reduce the blood pressure. Favorable data on injectable enalaprilat have been reported from the West but no Indian study has been done in such settings. We studied 10 patients (5 male, 5 female), with mean age 47+/-0.6 years and mean blood pressure 196+/-18.95/119.4+/-19.53 mmHg, who were given 1.25 mg intravenous enalaprilat. Reduction in their blood pressure started at 5 min with peak reduction noted at 4 hours (155.25+/-29.54/93.5+/-13.55 mmHg). No adverse symptoms or biochemical changes were noted. Thus, we conclude that intravenous enalaprilat is an effective, safe and well tolerated agent for managing severe hypertension in patients requiring an emergency reduction in blood pressure.