Hypertensive Emergencies

A Hypertensive emergency is any elevation in blood pressure in the presence of end-organ dysfunction. Aggressively treating severe asymptomatic hypertension (very high blood pressure without clear end organ damage) is not indicated, not supported by the literature and DANGEROUS. First, do no harm.

The Silent Killer

Today, cardiovascular disease is the number-one cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa in adults over the age of 30.

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Asymptomatic Hypertension

There is no need to immediately reduce the BP in an asymptomatic patient with a high blood pressure…

BP 252/130…start IV Fluids…this won’t blow up the patient…

  The diagnosis of hypertensive emergency is made based upon the findings of hypertension in the setting of end-organ damage (usually heart, brain, or kidneys). What you really care about is the rate of increase rather than the actual BP number (there is no defining threshold).

Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation

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