Methods for controlling, maintaining, or reducing blood pressure, and/or for treating, preventing, or alleviating symptoms such as dyspnea, in a patient suffering from or susceptible to acute heart failure. The methods involve the administration of an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a short acting dihydropyridine compound such as clevidipine. The pharmaceutical composition may be administered at an initial dose, and if blood pressure is not controlled or maintained within a target blood pressure range or reduced to within a target blood pressure range, the initial dose may be titrated to achieve a blood pressure within the target blood pressure range. The patient may have a systolic blood pressure of about 120 mmHg or above.