Abstract
Abstract only.
Background: Hypertensive emergency (HTNE) is a subtype of hypertensive crisis. In contrast to hypertensive urgency (HTNU), which is a severely elevated BP without acute target organ damage (TOD), HTNE presents with the equally high BP in the presence of potentially life-threatening acute TOD such as myocardial infarction, stroke, pulmonary edema and acute kidney injury. Knowledge on risk factors of HTNE may be used in clinical decision-making to differentiate between HTNE and HTNU in patients presenting with markedly high BP.
Method: A search of 4 databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Web of Science, and CINAHL), 7 grey literature sites and relevant organizational websites revealed 11,387 titles. After duplicates were removed, 9,183 studies were screened by the title and abstract for eligibility. Forty full-text articles were retrieved, and each was assessed for eligibility. Fourteen full-text studies that included 10,376 participants were critically appraised and included in this review. The extracted data were pooled to meta-analysis, where HTNU patients (BP ≥180/110 mmHg without acute TOD) were compared to HTNE patients (BP ≥180/110 mmHg with acute TOD) based on several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.
Results: Patients with HTNE had higher mean systolic (MD 2.413, 95% CI 0.477,4.350) and diastolic BP (MD 2.043, 95% CI 0.624,3.461) compared to patients with HTNU. HTNE were more common in men (OR 1.390, 95% CI 1.207,1.601), older patients (mean diff 5.282, 95% CI 3.229, 7.335). Diabetes (OR 1.723, 95% CI 1.485, 2.000), hyperlipidemia (OR 2.028, 95% CI 1.642, 2.505), and chronic kidney disease (OR 2.448, 95% CI 1.169, 5.124) increased the risk of HTNE. Non-adherence to antihypertensives (OR 0.939, 95% CI 0.647,1.363) and HTN diagnosis unawareness (OR 0.807, 95% CI 0.564, 1.154) did not change the odds of HTNE.
Conclusion: Systolic and diastolic BP are marginally higher in patients with HTNE compared to patients with HTNU. Since these differences are small and not clinically significant, clinicians should rely on other symptoms and signs to differentiate between HTNU and HTNE. Measures to prevent and treat cardiometabolic comorbidities should be implemented in order to mitigate the risk of HTNE.