How to deal with hypertensive emergencies

Written by Wei Shi Liang

Intensive Care Unit

Updated on September 29, 2024

00:00

00:00

Hypertensive emergency is characterized by a significant increase in blood pressure, often with diastolic pressure greater than 130 mmHg. Target organs including the brain, eyes, heart, and kidneys are severely compromised or fail. Hypertensive emergencies require admission to the CCU for cardiac monitoring and the use of intravenous antihypertensives. In the initial one to two hours, the reduction in blood pressure should not exceed 25% of the peak value. Control blood pressure within two to six hours and stabilize it at 160/100 mmHg. Commonly used antihypertensive drugs include sodium nitroprusside and nitroglycerin, while avoiding the use of nifedipine-like drugs for blood pressure reduction.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

57sec

home-news-image

Symptoms of Hypertension in Pregnant Women

During pregnancy, if a pregnant woman develops high blood pressure, initially there are no symptoms, because at the beginning the blood pressure just slightly exceeds 140/90mmHg. If the high blood pressure is only temporary, it generally does not affect the woman's body and therefore, she may not experience any symptoms. As the condition progresses, the symptoms of high blood pressure can cause physical harm to the woman, likely damaging the kidneys and causing proteinuria. The loss of protein can lead to edema in women, and as a result, many women's initial symptoms will appear as generalized swelling, which does not improve with rest. By measuring blood pressure and urinary protein, symptoms of hypertension in pregnant women can be detected. In the later stages of the disease, hypertension may sometimes be accompanied by dizziness, indigestion, and mild pain in the lower abdomen, which are all symptoms of hypertension in pregnant women.

home-news-image

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

1min 27sec

home-news-image

The difference between hypertensive nephropathy and renal hypertension

Hypertensive nephropathy and hypertension due to kidney disease need to be differentiated, as this affects the treatment approach and prognosis assessment differently. Hypertensive nephropathy refers to patients with long-term high blood pressure, which causes arteriosclerosis of small vessels leading to renal pathology. Often, there is also arteriosclerosis in other organs, such as the retinal arteries, which can be confirmed through funduscopic examination. On the other hand, hypertension due to kidney disease occurs when a patient has kidney disease first followed by hypertension, where the causes and types of kidney diseases vary and can frequently lead to hypertension. The difference between the two lies in the sequence of occurrence. Hypertensive nephropathy is characterized by initial high blood pressure and commonly associated with arteriosclerosis in other vessels, which can be preliminarily identified through funduscopic examination. In cases of hypertension due to kidney disease, the patient has other kidney disorders first, followed by hypertension. If a patient's 24-hour urine protein quantification exceeds 2g, it is likely due to kidney disease rather than hypertensive nephropathy. If differentiation remains challenging, kidney biopsy can be performed for further differentiation.

home-news-image

Written by Chen Tian Hua

Cardiology

49sec

home-news-image

How to lower high blood pressure

Patients with hypertension need to adopt a comprehensive approach to reduce their blood pressure, primarily comprising two aspects: On one hand, they should regulate their lifestyle for treatment purposes, which includes maintaining a long-term low-salt and low-oil diet, consuming more vegetables and fruits, regularly engaging in physical exercises and labor, keeping a healthy weight level, avoiding fatigue, not staying up late at night, and maintaining a good emotional state. On the other hand, suitable antihypertensive medications should be chosen based on the specific conditions of the patients and used long-term. If necessary, a combination of antihypertensive drugs may be required. Effective control of blood pressure can only be achieved by combining lifestyle adjustments with medication.

home-news-image

Written by Li Liu Sheng

Nephrology

1min 1sec

home-news-image

How is hypertensive nephropathy treated?

Long-term hypertension can lead to abnormal kidney structure and function, also known as hypertensive nephropathy. Once hypertensive nephropathy is diagnosed, comprehensive treatment measures are often adopted, including both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. In terms of non-pharmacological treatment, patients should maintain a low-salt diet in their daily life, focusing on a light diet, with a daily salt intake of about 4 grams. Regarding pharmacological treatment, the main goal is to control the patient's blood pressure and reduce urinary protein. Medications that can be used include angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Any of these medications can be chosen and used long-term to control blood pressure, protect kidney function, and reduce urinary protein. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a physician, and self-medication should be avoided.)

home-news-image

Written by Zhang Yue Mei

Cardiology

40sec

home-news-image

What to eat for high blood pressure

Patients with hypertension need to regularly take antihypertensive medication to bring their blood pressure within the normal range. In daily life, dietary adjustments should be made, avoiding foods high in fats such as fatty meat from animals, offal, fried foods, and sweets. Instead, consume more vegetables high in dietary fiber, vitamins, and trace minerals. Suitable vegetables for people with hypertension include celery, spinach, mung bean sprouts, black fungus, water chestnuts, onions, carrots, winter melon, and Chinese cabbage.