The staff educator is teaching ED nurses about hypertensive crisis. The nurse educator should explain that hypertensive urgency differs from hypertensive emergency in what way?

Question

A) The BP is always higher in a hypertensive emergency.
B) Vigilant hemodynamic monitoring is required during treatment of hypertensive emergencies.
C) Hypertensive urgency is treated with rest and benzodiazepines to lower BP.
D) Hypertensive emergencies are associated with evidence of target organ damage.

Answer 1

Ans: D
Feedback:
Hypertensive emergencies are acute, life-threatening BP elevations that require prompt treatment in an intensive care setting because of the serious target organ damage that may occur. Blood pressures are extremely elevated in both urgency and emergencies, but there is no evidence of target organ damage in hypertensive urgency. Extremely close hemodynamic monitoring of the patient's BP is required in both situations. The medications of choice in hypertensive emergencies are those with an immediate effect, such as IV vasodilators. Oral doses of fast-acting agents, such as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or alpha-agonists, are recommended for the treatment of hypertensive urgencies.