Malignant hypertension, severe hypertensive retinopathy and malignant nephroangiosclerosis.
Hypertensive crises are frequent in the emergency room. The term covers a group of syndromes that have in common high blood pressure. When accompanied by acute organ damage, it is known as a hypertensive emergency, as opposed to a hypertensive urgency, in which there is no such damage. One specific type of emergency is malignant hypertension, in which there are exudates and/or retinal hemorrhages or papilledema. Besides effective and prompt treatment, it is mandatory to screen for secondary causes of the hypertension. We present the case of a 40-year-old patient, with no previous history of hypertension, who was admitted for malignant hypertension. In this article we review the pathophysiology, clinical aspects and prognosis of this condition.
Serviço de Medicina Interna 1, Hospital de Curry Cabral, Lisboa, Portugal. sofilourenco@iol.pt
Sofia
S
Lourenço
António
A
Murinello
Conceição
C
Loureiro
Fernanda
F
Carvalho
Paula
P
Colarinho
Mónica
M
Ataíde
Elia
E
Coimbra
D000328:Adult; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006974:Hypertension, Malignant / Q000150:complications*; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012598:Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology