Hypertensive Urgency: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment - Cleveland Clinic

Hypertensive urgency, or severe hypertension, is a medical condition of very high blood pressure that should be evaluated by a hospital physician. Patients with hypertensive urgency should be monitored in a hospital emergency room and treated with medications.

Emergency Care

• According to the Cleveland Clinic, people with hypertensive urgency have systolic blood pressure greater than 180 millimeters of mercury and diastolic blood pressure greater than 110. Patients with symptoms such as severe headaches and shortness of breath may require immediate drug treatment to reduce blood pressure.

Captopril

• Hypertensive urgency patients may receive Captopril in the emergency room to reduce blood pressure. But this drug may increase a patient's risk of renal failure.

Clonidine

• Clonidine may used to treat severe hypertension; this medication may cause dry mouth or drowsiness.

Labetalol

• Emergency room physicians may use labetalol to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertensive urgency. Side effects of this drug may include constriction of bronchial tubes in the lungs.

Amlodipine

• Hypertensive urgency patients may receive amlodipine in a hospital emergency room. Users of this drug may have an increased risk of an abnormal heart rhythm called tachycardia.