https://paulnystrom.com/tags/bp/Recent content in BP on Paul NystromHugoen-usSat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://paulnystrom.com/posts/when-youre-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://paulnystrom.com/posts/when-youre-a-hammer-everything-looks-like-a-nail/<p>Hypertension (HTN) in the ER is one of the least interesting things we deal with. Through many discussions with colleagues, this is a fairly universal sentiment among ER doctors. There are very few conditions in which we need to immediately lower a patient’s blood pressure. Aortic dissections, hypertensive emergencies, acute strokes, acute coronary syndrome, and preeclampsia are about the only ones that come to mind. These are referred to as “end-organ damage,” i.e., the HTN is actually causing an acute issue damaging the brain, heart, or kidneys, and it needs correcting.</p>