To Treat or Not to Treat: Managing Markedly Elevated, Asymptomatic Hypertension in the Emergency Department

The Research to Practice column focuses on improving the research critique skills and translation of research findings into emergency care clinical practice. In this issue, we discuss the findings of Chaudry et al. (2024) on risk factors associated with major adverse cardiovascular events after discharge in emergency department patients with markedly elevated blood pressures without evidence of target organ injury. The investigators conclude that there are a number of clinical characteristics and symptoms that build on the clinical policy recommendations by the American College of Emergency Physicians on which patients should receive routine diagnostic screening or antihypertensive treatment while in the emergency department to reduce their risk of adverse outcomes.