Thus, if the patient has a blood pressure of 180/120 and it is reduced to 120/80, blood flow to ischemic areas will be reduced by 1/3. If blood flow in these circumstances was 20ml/100gm/minute, treatment of hypertension in this way will reduce it to 13ml/100gm/minute. This will promptly produce nearly complete infarction!.

• In general, therefore, blood pressures in acute stroke patients of 180/110 or less should not be treated and patients should be adequately hydrated.
  
  
• Blood pressures of >180/110 should be treated very cautiously.
  
  In nearly all cases, blood pressure will gradually subside of its own accord over the ensuing days.

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