Malignant hypertension is best described as

Malignant hypertension is best described as

• A. Chronic mild elevation.
• B. Rapidly progressive severe hypertension with risk of end-organ damage.
• C. Hypertension due to stress.
• D. Hypertension only at night.

Answer: (B)

Malignant hypertension is a hypertensive emergency in which blood pressure is extremely high and rises rapidly, threatening organs. It isn’t just high blood pressure over time; it involves a rapid progression to serious, potentially life-threatening target-organ damage. You often see signs of acute end-organ injury such as retinal changes (including papilledema and hemorrhages), kidney dysfunction, and possible brain involvement. Because the organs can deteriorate quickly, it requires urgent hospital care with careful blood pressure lowering. This is why the description of rapidly progressive severe hypertension with risk of end-organ damage is the best fit. The other options describe situations that aren’t malignant hypertension: chronic mild elevation is a less dangerous, long-standing form; hypertension due to stress isn’t the acute, organ-threatening pattern; hypertension only at night isn’t the defining feature of malignant hypertension.

Malignant hypertension is a hypertensive emergency in which blood pressure is extremely high and rises rapidly, threatening organs. It isn’t just high blood pressure over time; it involves a rapid progression to serious, potentially life-threatening target-organ damage. You often see signs of acute end-organ injury such as retinal changes (including papilledema and hemorrhages), kidney dysfunction, and possible brain involvement. Because the organs can deteriorate quickly, it requires urgent hospital care with careful blood pressure lowering.

This is why the description of rapidly progressive severe hypertension with risk of end-organ damage is the best fit. The other options describe situations that aren’t malignant hypertension: chronic mild elevation is a less dangerous, long-standing form; hypertension due to stress isn’t the acute, organ-threatening pattern; hypertension only at night isn’t the defining feature of malignant hypertension.