Hypertensive emergencies and urgencies: a preliminary report of the ongoing Italian multicentric study ERIDANO

Hypertensive urgencies (HU) and hypertensive emergencies (HE) are challenges for the Emergency Department (ED). A prospective multicentre study is ongoing to characterize patients with acute hypertensive disorders, prevalence of subclinical hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD), short- and long-term prognosis; this is a preliminary report. Patients admitted to the ED with symptomatic blood pressure (BP) <= 180/110 mmHg were enrolled. They were managed by ED personnel according to their clinical presentations. Subsequently they underwent clinical evaluation and subclinical HMOD assessment at a Hypertension Centre within 72 h from enrolment. 122 patients were included in this report. Mean age was 60.7 +/- 13.9 years, 52.5% were females. 18 (14.8%) patients were diagnosed with HE, 108 (88.5%) with HU. There were no differences in gender, BMI, and cardiovascular comorbidities between groups. At ED discharge, 66.7% and 93.6% (p = 0.003) of HE and HU patients, respectively, had BP < 180/110 mmHg. After 72 h, 34.4% of patients resulted normotensive; 35.2%, 22.1%, and 8.2% had hypertension grade 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Patients with uncontrolled BP at office evaluation had higher vascular HMOD (49.1 vs. 25.9%, p = 0.045). Cardiac (60 vs. 34%, p = 0.049), renal (27.8 vs. 9.6%, p = 0.010) and cerebral (100 vs. 21%, p < 0.001) HMOD was more frequent in HE compared to HU group. HE showed greater cardiac, renal, and cerebral subclinical HMOD, compared to HU. 72-hours BP control is not associated with different HMOD, except for vascular HMOD; therefore, proper comprehensive examination after discharge from the ED could provide added value in cardiovascular risk stratification of such patients.