CardiologyGENERAL
Hypertensive emergency vs urgency — BP 220/130 with headache, when to use IV nicardipine vs oral agents?
55M comes to ED with BP 220/130, severe headache, no focal neuro deficits, fundoscopy normal, no chest pain, ECG normal, troponin negative, creatinine 1.1. Is this hypertensive emergency or urgency? Is IV nicardipine needed or can we use oral amlodipine or labetalol? What is the target BP reduction rate and timing?