Protocolo diagnóstico y terapéutico de las crisis hipertensivas en urgencias

Abstract

Hypertensive urgencies and hypertensive emergencies (HE) are categorized as hypertensive crises. They are different because in the first, there is a significant elevation in blood pressure (BP) without target organ damage (heart, brain, kidney, retina, and arteries) and in the second there is. The cardiovascular risk in a hypertensive urgency is not particularly high whereas in an HE, it is life-threatening and requires a more aggressive decline in BP figures, inpatient management, and intravenous medication.Hypertensive urgencies can be managed on an outpatient basis in most cases; the treatment route of administration is oral and the aim is achieving a reduction in BP below 160/100mm Hg over hours or days. A correct diagnosis that suitably fits each case is key in order not to underdiagnose cases of HE and also to avoid iatrogenesis in hypertensive crises.