Chapter 52
Hypertensive Crisis
Anish K. Agarwal, MD, MPH, Christopher J. Rees, MD and Charles V. Pollack, MA, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, FAHA
1. What is a hypertensive crisis?
2. How commonly do these situations occur?
3. What are the causes of hypertensive crisis?
4. What are the common clinical presentations of hypertensive crisis?
5. What historical information should be obtained?
A thorough medication history is also essential. The patient’s current medications need to be reviewed and updated to include timing, dosages, recent changes in therapy, last doses taken, and compliance. Patients should also be questioned about over-the-counter medication usage and recreational drug use because these agents may also affect blood pressure.
6. How should the physical examination be focused?
7. What laboratory and ancillary data should be obtained?