Current concepts in the management of hypertensive crisis: emergencies and urgencies.

Hypertensive emergencies and hypertensive urgencies represent a large percentage of major medical emergencies and have the potential of producing serious organ damage or death if not treated promptly and selectively. Several classifications of antihypertensive agents are discussed, with emphasis on selecting agents appropriate for patients' hypertension manifestations and comorbid situations. Epidemiology and evaluation of hypertension, as well as common pharmacokinetics of several common and new oral and parenteral antihypertensive agents, are described. Special nursing considerations of medication administration and gerontology concepts are included.