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michigan hypertension core curriculum - State of Michigan

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Clinical Implications: The clinician must resist the temptation to acutely lower BP in patients<br />

presenting with stroke or other manifestations <strong>of</strong> acute cerebral ischemia or head trauma. This<br />

is extremely difficult because clinicians have been conditioned to the fact that elevated BP cases<br />

stroke. Therefore when clinicians encounter elevated BP in the setting <strong>of</strong> stroke there is a strong<br />

inclination to acutely lower the BP via pharmacological means. Unless the systolic BP exceeds ~<br />

230 mm Hg and/or the DBP exceeds ~ 130 mm Hg, the clinician should refrain from intervening<br />

with pharmacological agents to acutely lower BP. Blood flow and therefore oxygen delivery into<br />

the watershed area (ischemic penumbra) is dependent on systemic perfusion pressure. Also,<br />

in ~ 40% <strong>of</strong> patients with acute stroke, intracranial pressure is increased. Raised intracranial<br />

pressure is also an impediment to cerebral blood flow and therefore cerebral oxygen delivery. The<br />

major exception to this recommendation <strong>of</strong> therapeutic restraint is when there are signs <strong>of</strong> new/<br />

worsening target-organ injury that is likely related to elevated BP (e.g., heart failure, worsening<br />

kidney function, etc.). It is wise to keep the BP lower than ~ 185/110 mm Hg when thrombolytic<br />

therapy will be utilized in acute stroke patients.<br />

NKFM & MDCH 37

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