Hypertensive Crisis - Emergency Management

Hypertensive Crisis

·        Signs: headache, vomiting, visual changes, convulsion, coma, angina, pulmonary oedema, CVA, eclampsia

·        Treatment: sublingual captopril. Labetalol, etc

·        Caution: vasodilators may increase ICP. May need iv fluids with vasodilators. Don‟t lower blood pressure too low too fast – cerebral autoregulation may be been reset to a higher blood pressure