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Key Pitfall to Avoid in Severely Hypertensive Patients One of the biggest pitfalls committed when treating severely hypertensive patients (asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic) is in "stacking" antihypertensive (oral) medications. Mike Winters has mentioned this previously. This occurs when several medications are given one after another...resulting in a precipitous drop in blood pressure. This could result in severe hypotension and stroke. Pearls: 1. Don't stack too many BP meds in the ED (resist the urge to do this. 2. If the patient's BP is sky high (i.e. 250/170), forget oral meds and get control of the BP with a drip. This is a safer approach than adding many different medications and taking the risk of hypotension. 3. Don't just treat the number 4. Hypertensive patients can go home (with prompt followup)