Sodium nitroprusside is a widely used drug in cardiovascular medicine for the treatment of heart failure, in addition to hypertensive crisis, malignant hypertension and hypertensive encephalopathy. It can also be used for emergency hypertension before and after pheochromocytoma surgery, and to improve symptoms in acute pulmonary edema or acute heart failure due to acute myocardial infarction or valvular insufficiency. It is a fast-acting and short-acting vasodilator that dilates arterial and venous smooth muscle and is relatively effective and inexpensive.