title: Guide of Hypertensive Crisis Pharmacotherapy.
abstract: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the number one cause of death globally compared to any other cause. CVD accounts for approximately 17.3 million deaths per year and are rising. Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Approximately, 80 million people suffer from hypertension in the U.S. While, majority of these individuals are on antihypertensive medications only 54% of individuals with hypertension are optimally controlled. Heart failure and stroke are some of the devastating complications of uncontrolled hypertension. Hypertensive crisis can be classified as either an urgency or emergency; difference between the two is the presence of end organ damage, which is noted in hypertensive emergency. Hypertensive crisis is usually treated by parenteral antihypertensive medications. The main drug classes of drugs for treatment are nitrates, calcium channel blockers, dopamine-1 agonists, adrenergic-blocking agents etc.
  
  
  
  In this review, we discuss approach to management of hypertensive crisis and each drug class with its physiology and complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Science Center at El Paso, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, 4800 Alberta Ave, El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wani-Parekh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Science Center at El Paso, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, 4800 Alberta Ave, El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanco-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Texas Tech University Health Science Center at El Paso, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, 4800 Alberta Ave, El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendez
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Science Center at El Paso, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, 4800 Alberta Ave, El Paso, Texas, 79905, United States.
authors.forename: Debabrata
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
mesh_terms: D018674:Adrenergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019468:Disease Management; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009566:Nitrates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D018674:Adrenergic Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D009566:Nitrates
keywords: Hypertensive emergency; antihypertensive medications; cardiovascular disease; eclampsia; pregnancy