The Medical clinics of North America
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The clinical syndrome of accelerated hypertension is a relatively rare complication of hypertensive disease. The syndrome is recognized by high blood pressures, progressive neurologic and visual symptoms, acute renal damage, cardiac failure, and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. When diagnosed, it must be recognized as an acute medical emergency. ⋯ Once blood pressure has been controlled, oral medications should be begun. Long-term results in the treatment of hypertensive emergencies are gratifying. It is anticipated that with more experience gained in the use of medications in this situation, an even better prognosis will be achieved.
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Our approach to management, both initial and definitive, is summarized in Table 2. Patients with proximal dissection require surgical intervention after medical stabilization, unless prior debilitating illness precludes general anesthesia or prolonged vascular surgery. ⋯ Dissecting aneurysm of the aorta, while potentially a promptly fatal event, is amenable to aggressive therapy provided that one is alert to the possibility of this disease. Despite all technical advances, the single most important factor in making the diagnosis of dissecting aortic aneurysm is a strong index of suspicion on the part of the physician.