Open AccessDiffuse leukoencephalopathy in a 29-year-old male with hypertensive emergency
Author(s) -
Ghada Issa,
Selim M. Nasser,
Samir Kodsi,
Zein Farhat
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
bjr case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2055-7159
DOI - 10.1259/bjrcr.20150199
Subject(s) - hypertensive encephalopathy , hypertensive emergency , posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome , leukoencephalopathy , encephalopathy , white matter , ataxia , medicine , blurred vision , blood pressure , pediatrics , pathology , cardiology , magnetic resonance imaging , surgery , psychiatry , radiology
Severe hypertension is associated with multiple symptoms that reflect the end-organ damage effect of rapidly increasing blood pressure. Encephalopathy is a manifestation of the clinical spectrum of hypertensive emergencies. Hypertensive encephalopathy was initially described as part of the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, which mostly involved the parieto-occipital white matter of the brain. A more detailed review of this syndrome reveals many cases where the brain abnormalities are distributed in a more random pattern. We describe a case of diffuse leukoencephalopthy in a young male who presented with altered mental status, ataxia, and blurred vision. This is the most diffuse brain involvement ever described in hypertensive statuses.