Hypertensive crisis is defined as what readings?

• A. Systolic higher than 180 / or diastolic higher than 120
• B. Systolic 160-170 / diastolic 100-110
• C. Systolic 120-129 / diastolic less than 80
• D. Systolic 170 / diastolic 110

Answer: (A)

Hypertensive crisis is defined by a systolic pressure above 180 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure above 120 mm Hg. This threshold signals a high risk of acute target-organ injury and requires urgent medical evaluation; if there’s organ damage, it’s an emergency needing rapid, supervised BP reduction (often with IV meds). If there’s no organ damage, it’s urgent but managed differently.

Readings below that threshold do not meet the crisis definition—for example, 160–170 systolic with 100–110 diastolic is severe hypertension but not a crisis, and 120–129 systolic with diastolic under 80 is not a crisis. A reading like 170/110 is high but does not reach 180/120, so it does not define a hypertensive crisis.