title: Hypertensive Crisis: A Review of Pathophysiology and Treatment.
abstract: Hypertensive crisis presents as hypertensive urgency or hypertensive emergency, the differences being the presence or absence of target organ damage (TOD) and the type of treatment the patient will receive. Patients with hypertensive urgency do not express TOD, which is seen only in hypertensive emergencies and can involve the heart, kidneys, or brain. Recognition of hypertensive crisis at initial assessment is crucial. An important first step is to obtain a full medical and medication history to be used as a guide for treatment. Proper and effective treatment of hypertensive urgency or emergency involves appropriate use of specific agents based on knowledge of any comorbid disease state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy and Clinical Nutrition, Grady Health System, 80 Jesse Hill Jr Drive SE, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA. Electronic address: dtaylor@gmh.edu.
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: Hypertensive crisis; Hypertensive emergency; Hypertensive urgency