Korean Circ J.  1987 Sep;17(3):451-457. 10.4070/kcj.1987.17.3.451.

A Clinical Study on Hypertensive Encephalopathy

• Lee MC
• Jang KM
• Joo IJ
• Lee HS
• Kim HS
• Moon SS
• Lee HC

• KMID: 2093213
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.1987.17.3.451

Abstract

Hypertensive encephalopathy is an acute clinical syndrome that shows central nerve dysfunction with sudden and marked elevation in blood pressure. But its pathophysiologic mechanisms, clinical courses and prognosis are still not clear. In order to study clinical manifestations and response to treatment in patients with hypertensive encephalopathy, we reviewed 45 patients with hypertensive encephalopathy who were admitted in Dept. of Internal Medicine, National Medical Center, from January 1975 to December 1984. The following results were obtained: 1) The ratio of male to female was 1.1:1. The peak age of incidence was in the 6th and 7th decade with mean age of 57.5 years. 2) Among 45 patients, only 29 had known history of hypertension and the average duration of hypertension was 8.1+/-3.6 years. 3) The most common sympotm was severe headache (68.9%). And altered consciousness, nausea and/or vomiting, focal neurologic signs and visual disturbance were also common symptoms in decreasing order of frequency. 4) Funduscopic examination showed hypertensive retinopathy in 20 of 24 (91.7%) patients and lumbar puncture revealed increased CSF pressure in 12 of 20 (60%) patients. 5) In most patients, the mean interval to symptomatic improvement was 2.1 days after administration of anti hypertensive agents, but in 6 patients with initial mean arterial blood pressure above 170mmHg, 4 patients showed delayed response and 2 patients were expired.

MeSH Terms

Antihypertensive Agents
Arterial Pressure
Blood Pressure
Consciousness
Female
Headache
Humans
Hypertension
Hypertensive Encephalopathy*
Hypertensive Retinopathy
Incidence
Internal Medicine
Male
Nausea
Neurologic Manifestations
Prognosis
Spinal Puncture
Vomiting
Antihypertensive Agents