Accelerated Hypertension –management in the acute setting

Accelerated hypertension is a rare but life threatening disease. The commonest cause is poorly controlled essential hypertension but other causes exist. Diagnosis is made by the finding of severe hypertension with associated end organ disease affecting brain, eyes, heart or kidney. Treatment should be tailored to the individual patient and usually should be given orally. There is no clear evidence that one class of antihypertensives is more effective than another and the main aim of therapy should be a controlled fall in Blood Pressure.