title: Hypertensive crises: challenges and management.
abstract: Hypertension affects > 65 million people in the United States and is one of the leading causes of death. One to two percent of patients with hypertension have acute elevations of BP that require urgent medical treatment. Depending on the degree of BP elevation and presence of end-organ damage, severe hypertension can be defined as either a hypertensive emergency or a hypertensive urgency. A hypertensive emergency is associated with acute end-organ damage and requires immediate treatment with a titratable short-acting IV antihypertensive agent. Severe hypertension without acute end-organ damage is referred to as a hypertensive urgency and is usually treated with oral antihypertensive agents. This article reviews definitions, current concepts, common misconceptions, and pitfalls in the diagnosis and management of patients with acutely elevated BP as well as special clinical situations in which BP must be controlled.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA USA. paul.marik@jefferson.edu
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Marik
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Varon
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009626:Terminology as Topic
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents