A hypertensive emergency is severe hypertension with acute impairment of an organ system (especially the central nervous system, cardiovascular system and/or the renal system) and the possibility of irreversible organ-damage. In case of a hypertensive emergency, the blood pressure should be lowered aggressively over minutes to hours with an antihypertensive agent. Several classes of antihypertensive agents are recommended and the choice for the antihypertensive agent depends on the cause for the hypertensive crisis, the severity of elevated blood pressure and the patients usual blood pressure before the hypertensive crisis. In most cases, the administration of an intravenous Sodium nitroprusside injection which has an almost immediate antihypertensive effect is suitable but in many cases not readily available. In less urgent cases, oral agents like Capoten, Clonidine, Labetalol, Prazosin, which have all a delayed onset of action by several minutes compared to Sodium nitroprusside, can also be used. It is also important that the blood pressure is lowered not too abruptly, but smoothly. The diagnosis of a hypertensive emergency is not only based on the absolute level of blood pressure, but also on the individual regular regular level of blood pressure before the hypertensive crisis. Individuals with a history of chronic hypertension may not tolerate a "normal" blood pressure. For other forms of hypertension see hypertension (disambiguation) Hypertension or high blood pressure is a medical condition where the blood pressure in the arteries is chronically elevated. ... In biology, an organ is a group of tissues which perform some function. ... The Central Nervous System (CNS) represents the largest part of the Nervous System. ... The circulatory system or cardiovascular system is the organ system which circulates blood around the body of most animals. ... Kidneys viewed from behind with spine removed The kidneys are bean-shaped excretory organs in vertebrates. ... Movie Poster for Irréversible Irréversible (2002, France) is a film written, directed, edited, and photographed by Gaspar Noé. ... Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the blood vessels. ... Antihypertensives are a class of drugs that are used In medicine and pharmacology to treat hypertension. ... An intravenous drip in a hospital Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the administration of liquid substances directly into a vein. ... Sodium nitroprusside (Na3Fe(CN)5NO) is a potent peripheral vasodilator which affects both arterioles and venules. ... In medicine—or in the non-medical use of some illegal drugs—an injection is a method of putting liquid into the body with a hollow needle and a syringe which is pierced through the skin long enough for the material to be forced into the body. ... Antihypertensives are a class of drugs that are used In medicine and pharmacology to treat hypertension. ... Captopril is an ACE inhibitor used for the treatment of hypertension and some types of chronic heart failure. ... Clonidine is a centrally acting antihypertensive (to lower high blood pressure) agent, used mainly for this purpose in the past. ... Prazosin, brand name Minipress®, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). ... The word chronic has uses in many fields. ...

Terminology

Generally, the terminology describing hypertensive emergencies can be confusing. Terms such as hypertensive crisis, malignant hypertension, hypertensive urgency, accelerated hypertension and severe hypertension are all used in the literature and often overlap. Malignant hypertension is a complication of hypertension characterized by very elevated blood pressure, and organ damage in the eyes, brain, lung and/or kidneys. ... Arterial hypertension, or high blood pressure is a medical condition where the blood pressure is chronically elevated. ...

Hypertensive emergency as a specific term

The term hypertensive emergency is primarily used as a specific term for a serious and urgent condition of elevated blood pressure (as described above) in contrast to hypertensive urgency for a less serious and less urgent condition of elevated blood pressure (the terminology hypertensive crisis is sometimes, although not quite often, also used in this sense).

Hypertensive emergency as a generic term

Sometimes, although not very often, the term hypertensive emergency is also used as a generic term, comprising both hypertensive emergency as a specific term for a serious and urgent condition of elevated blood pressure and hypertensive urgency as a specific term of a less serious and less urgent condition (the terminology hypertensive crisis is usually used in this sense).

See also

• Hypertensive urgency
• Malignant hypertension
• Hypertension