Question

A 45-year-old woman with long-standing poorly controlled hypertension presents with sudden severe occipital headache and vomiting. Blood pressure is 220/120 mmHg and she is drowsy. CT brain shows a large intracerebral haemorrhage. Which blood pressure target is generally recommended in the acute phase?

Accepted Answer

Rapidly reduce systolic blood pressure to <140 mmHg

Answer

Leave blood pressure untreated to maintain cerebral perfusion

Answer

Reduce systolic blood pressure slowly over days to <180 mmHg

Answer

Reduce systolic blood pressure to <90 mmHg immediately

Answer

Use only oral agents to reduce blood pressure over weeks

Practice question