American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Practice Test

What defines hypertensive urgency or emergency hypertension?

1. Systolic 160 OR diastolic 100

2. Systolic 180 OR diastolic 120

3. Systolic 140 OR diastolic 90

4. Systolic 150 OR diastolic 80

The correct answer is: Systolic 180 OR diastolic 120

Hypertensive urgency and emergency hypertension are critical conditions defined by exceptionally high blood pressure readings, specifically focusing on severe levels that can lead to significant health risks or acute complications. A blood pressure reading of 180 mmHg systolic or 120 mmHg diastolic indicates a state where immediate intervention may be necessary to prevent serious outcomes, such as stroke, myocardial infarction, or acute kidney injury. In clinical practice, the differentiation between urgency and emergency is crucial. An emergency is associated with acute end-organ damage, while urgency may not immediately affect organ function but still requires timely management to prevent escalation. The threshold of 180/120 is recognized in guidelines and clinical literature as the level at which these complications become more probable, necessitating urgent treatment. The remaining options present lower blood pressure readings that do not meet the threshold for defining a hypertensive urgency or emergency, and thus do not represent the level of risk associated with the serious health concerns seen at the higher readings. Recognizing the importance of these specific cutoffs is vital for healthcare professionals in assessing and managing hypertensive patients effectively.