Introduction:

A hypertensive crisis is defined as an acute elevation of blood pressure greater than 180/120 mmHg, which can generate complications at different pathophysiological levels such as involvement of central nervous, cardiovascular systems, among others.

Objectives:

To characterize the clinical aspects of hypertensive crises in patients admitted to the Emergency Service of the Hospital Nacional o Itauguá.

Methods:

Prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study with an analytical component, carried out from June to November 2021. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of hypertensive crisis defined by systolic pressure ≥ 180 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure ≥ 120 mmHg were included. The research study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the National University of Itapúa.

Results:

One hundred forty patients were studied, whose mean age was 61±14 years, with male predominance (54.29%). The mean values ​​of the most elevated blood pressure values were systolic blood pressure (193.5±15.2 mmHg) and differential blood pressure (84.5± 17.75 mmHg). The most frequent reason for consultation was respiratory distress (19.28%). Some type of comorbidity was present in 113 patients (80.71%), with overweight predominating in 61 cases. In 93 patients (66.43%) there was irregular antihypertensive treatment or medication discontinuation. The predominant initial treatment was the administration of enalaprilat IV (28.58%). Target organ damage was detected in 91 patients (65%), with cerebrovascular accident prevailing (29.29%). The factors that presented a statistically significant association with

presenting target organ damage were comorbidity (p = 0.0033, OR: 3.52) and irregular treatment or treatment discontinuation (p = 0.00007, OR: 4.35).

Conclusion:

A high frequency of hypertensive emergency, a marked predominance of irregular treatment or its discontinuation was evidenced. More than half of the patients with hypertensive crises consulted at the emergency service with some target organ damage, and with comorbidity and irregular treatment or medication discontinuation as the main associated risk factors.

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