Hypertensive emergency - Hypertensive encephalopathy

High urgency
-Very severe

It is a life-threatening condition resulting from an increase in blood pressure that affects the functioning of various organs.

Causes include cerebral vascular accident, heart failure, coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysm, kidney disease, traumatic brain injury, intracranial haemorrhage, etc.

The most common symptoms are chest pain, choking, altered level of consciousness, dizziness, headache, nosebleed, vertigo, nausea and vomiting, etc. 

It is diagnosed by taking a medical history, performing a complete physical examination (including funduscopic examination), laboratory tests, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray and CT or MRI scan.

It needs to be monitored and treated in an intensive care unit, and intravenous drugs are used in the early stages.

Bibliographic references
  1. William J Elliott, Joseph Varon. Evaluation and treatment of hypertensive emergencies in adults. UpToDate. Aug 16, 2016.
  2. Padilla Ramos A, Varon J. Current and newer agents for hypertensive emergencies. Curr Hypertens Rep 2014; 16:450.
  3. Mayer SA, Kurtz P, Wyman A, et al. Clinical practices, complications, and mortality in neurological patients with acute severe hypertension: the Studying the Treatment of Acute hyperTension registry. Crit Care Med 2011; 39:2330.
  4. Johnson W, Nguyen ML, Patel R. Hypertension crisis in the emergency department. Cardiol Clin 2012; 30:533.
  5. Anderson CS, Heeley E, Huang Y, et al. Rapid blood-pressure lowering in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage. N Engl J Med 2013; 368:2355.
  6. José A. García-Donaire, Juan F. Cantero Bengochea, J. Ignacio García Sánchez. Hipertensión arterial. Manual de diagnóstico y terapéutica médica Hospital Universitario 12 de octubre. 6ª edición. 2007. 750:764.
Author
Dr. Elvira Moreno
Copyright
© TeckelMedical 2026

Symptoms

    Diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 110 mmHg


    Diminished level of consciousness


    Chest pain


    Tingling in the hand


    Short of breath