MALIGNANT HYPERTENSION

Course overview

MALIGNANT HYPERTENSION IS A TERM THAT HAS BEEN USED TO DESCRIBE PATIENTS WITH ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) AND MULTIPLE COMPLICATIONS WITH POOR PROGNOSIS. TODAY, THE TERM HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS IS USED TO DESCRIBE PATIENTS WHO PRESENT WITH SEVERE BP ELEVATIONS AS FOLLOW: SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND (SBP) GREATER THAN 180 MM HG AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (DBP) GREATER THAN 120 MM HG). THE DIAGNOSIS CAN BE FURTHER CLASSIFIED AS A HYPERTENSIVE EMERGENCY WHEN SEVERE ELEVATION IN BP IS ASSOCIATED WITH END-ORGAN DAMAGE, OR HYPERTENSIVE URGENCY WHEN SEVERE HYPERTENSION OCCURS WITHOUT IT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE OF MALIGNANT HYPERTENSION, ITS PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.