The nurse is assigned a patient with a history of severe hypertension. He develops hematuria and elevated blood pressure. What is the lowest blood pressure consistent with a hypertensive emergency?

Systolic BP >180 mm Hg; diastolic BP > 120 mm Hg. A hypertensive emergency is defined as a systolic blood pressure of greater than 180 mm Hg and/or a diastolic blood pressure of greater than 120 mm Hg, along with evidence of end-organ damage, such as retinal papilledema, increased intracerebral pressure, and acute renal failure. Although higher measurements indicate a hypertensive emergency, a lesser number would concern the nurse. At a BP of 160/100 mmHg, it is not yet a hypertensive emergency, but should obviously be followed closely.

The nurse is assigned a patient with a history of severe hyperten...

Category: Reduction of Risk Potential
Difficulty: 3

Topics: Cardiovascular

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