[Accelerated arterial hypertension in a young male]

Hypertensive crises are situations when arterial hypertension shows its immediate damaging potential, and in such circumstance, antihypertensive therapy provides its life-saving effectiveness. Among these situations are hypertensive emergencies, hypertensive urgencies, hypertensive encephalopathy, and also accelerated-malignant hypertension characterised by the presence of grade 3 or grade 4 Keith-Wagener retinopathy and numerous complications (acute renal failure, heart failure, haemorrhagic brain stroke or acute coronary events). Despite of antihypertensive therapy, the mortality rate of accelerated-malignant hypertension is about 25% after the 5th year. We present the case of a thirty-three years old male, with a five-year history of non-treated hypertension, who develops accelerated- hypertension with heart failure, microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia and renal failure that requires renal replacement therapy. After a strict control of blood pressure; initially using parenteral agents such as Solinitrin and Urapidil, followed by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-adrenergic receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers and Hydralazine, the patient partially recovers his renal function, resulting in the withdrawal of haemodialysis.