What Are the Treatments for Hypertensive Crisis?
- The condition of hypertensive crisis is identified as a blood pressure reading of more than 180/110, or a diastolic blood pressure reading (the bottom number in a reading) of 120 or more.
It is not the blood pressure reading alone which makes an episode a hypertensive crisis, but also the potential for organ damage or failure, which only a medical professional can determine. - Besides the elevated blood pressure reading, the person experiencing a hypertensive crisis may have a headache, bloody nose, confusion, visual disturbances, anxiety, shortness of breath, swelling in feet and/or ankles, and/or weakness, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
- Information in the New England Journal of Medicine and from the Cleveland Clinic relates that less than 1 percent of people with hypertension ever experience a hypertensive crisis. It is most often seen in people who have not been compliant with their antihypertension treatment, have not been previously diagnosed with hypertension, or their hypertension is under poor medical control.
- Treatment for a hypertensive crisis must be conducted by medical professionals.
The aim of initial treatment, as outlined by Dr. Donald Vidt of the Cleveland Clinic, is not to immediately bring the blood pressure reading to normal levels, but to decrease the blood pressure gradually to levels 20 to 25 percent lower than the elevated blood pressure readings.
Treatment is done in this manner so as not to stress the body too quickly or heavily because internal processes already will have begun to try to cope with the elevated blood pressure. Too rapid a decrease in blood pressure may result in decreased blood flow to one or more organs.
Treatment for hypertensive crisis may be oral medications or intravenous medications. The person may be admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital for close observation.
Many people with uncomplicated hypertensive crisis (no organ damage) may be treated in the emergency department of the hospital and released after treatment has been successful in lowering the blood pressure and a period of observation.