What is the recommended BP reduction goal for patients with severe hypertension after an AIS?
Initial BP reduction by 15% is a reasonable goal for patients with severe hypertension (most commonly >220/120 mmHg) after an AIS. Excessive drop in BP could result in complications such as stroke progression (by compromising cerebral perfusion in penumbral tissue) and acute kidney injury (from renal hypoperfusion). There are no data to show that one strategy to lower BP is better than another after AIS. The medications and doses in Table 5 are all reasonable options. See Table LVI in online Data Supplement 1.