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Hypertensive crisis

Prevalence
Causes
Clinical features
Investigations
Therapy
Prognosis
Therapy

Avoid reducing the blood pressure too rapidly c . Aim for a reduction to < 120 mmHg or a fall > 20 mmHg. d Repeat blood pressure readings frequently. d  

Why?

  • Patients with severe uncontrolled hypertension suffer brain hypoxia if their mean arterial blood pressure falls below 70 mmHg (compared with 40 mmHg in controls). c
  • In patients with severe uncontrolled hypertension, the brain can typically autoregulate cerebral blood supply between 120 and 200 mmHg. c


Expiry date: March 2004
Levels of Evidence used in grading these guides

Authors   N   Shenker , CM   Ball
Reviewers   S   Hsu , C   Clase
CAT Writers   N   Shenker , CM   Ball