During induced hypotension with urapidil, measurements of intracranial pressure and of the ventricular volume-pressure response (intracranial compliance) were obtained in dogs with and without intracranial hypertension. A bolus of urapidil 50 mg plus an infusion of urapidil 8.2 +/- 1.2 mg min-1 decreased mean arterial pressure by 22 +/- 10% from control in group I (without intracranial hypertension) and by 24 +/- 8% in group II (with intracranial hypertension). In both groups there was no change in intracranial pressure or in intracranial compliance after the administration of urapidil.