ATII CAT ETI ADH NO A B C CAMs CAMs CAMs Platelet aggregation DIC

THE LANCET • Vol 356 • July 29, 2000 411 A hypertensive emergency is defined as a situation that requires immediate blood-pressure reduction (not necessarily to .normal values) to prevent or limit targetorgan damage, and a hypertensive urgency is defined as a situation in which blood pressure should be lowered within a few hours. The distinction between emergencies and urgencies is important because it dictates management. Patients with target-organ damage, such as encephalopathy or aortic dissection, require emergency blood-pressure reduction with intensive monitoring and parenteral drug therapy. Patients presenting with significantly raised blood pressure but without evidence of target-organ injury need urgent, but not emergency, blood-pressure reduction. This aim can be achieved by use of oral agents and without intensive-care monitoring.