title: Cardiovascular hypertensive emergencies.
abstract: Inevitably, a small proportion of patients with systematic hypertension will develop hypertensive crisis at some point. Hypertensive crises can be divided into hypertensive emergency or hypertensive urgency according to the presence or lack of acute target organ damage. In this review, we discuss cardiovascular hypertensive emergencies, including acute coronary syndrome, aortic dissection, congestive heart failure, and sympathomimetic hypertensive crises, including those caused by cocaine use. Each presents in a unique fashion, although some hypertensive emergency patients report nonspecific symptoms. Treatment includes several effective and rapid-acting medications to safely reduce the blood pressure, protect remaining end-organ function, relieve symptoms, minimize the risk of complications, and thereby improve patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: ESH Excellent Center of Hypertension, Department of Cardiology, "Laiko" General Hospital, Athens, Greece, jimpapdoc@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sanidas
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Viniou
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gennimata
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chantziara
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barbetseas
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Makris
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents