Characteristics of the clientele assisted for hypertensive crisis in the emergency of a municipal hospital in Fortaleza, Ceará State - DOI: 10.4025/actascihealthsci.v32i1.5746

Abstract

The objective was to describe the characteristics of the clientele with hypertensive crisis. The research, which was quantitative, descriptive and documentary, was conducted at a municipal hospital in Fortaleza, Ceará Estate in 2006. In the analysis of 790 patient files, we found that 48.2% of patients presenting hypertensive crisis were in the age group between 40 and 59 years old. Most of the individuals were married (57.5%). The main symptoms were headache (35.7%) and chest pain (12.3%), and in 36.8% of files there was no record of signs and symptoms. The most prescribed medications were captopril (90.6%) and furosemide (53%). We conclude that hypertensive crisis affects many adults, most married and who usually go to the emergency room for clinical evaluation of a sign/symptom. We emphasize the need to alert health professionals about the importance of records for knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of that clientele, to control and prevent hypertensive crisis.