Hypertensive urgency

A hypertensive urgency is a clinical situation in which blood pressure should be lowered within 24 to 48 hours, in contrast to a hypertensive emergency where blood pressure must be lowered immediately and carefully to prevent or limit end organ damage. Examples of hypertensive urgencies are accelerated hypertension, marked hypertension associated with congestive heart failure, stable angina pectoris, transient ischemic attacks, perioperative hypertension.