Hypertension After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Friend or Foe?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health problem, with severe TBI contributing to a large number of deaths and disability worldwide. Early hypotension has been linked with poor outcomes following severe TBI, and guidelines suggest early and aggressive management of hypotension after TBI. Despite these recommendations, no guidelines exist for the management of hypertension after severe TBI, although observational data suggests that early hypertension is also associated with an increased risk of mortality after severe TBI. The purpose of this review is to discuss the underlying pathophysiology of hypertension after TBI, provide an overview of the current clinical data on early hypertension after TBI, and discuss future research that should test the benefits and harms of treating high blood pressure in TBI patients.