Malignant hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than ____________ mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure greater than _____________ mmHg.

• A. > 140/90
• B. > 160/100
• C. > 180/120
• D. > 200/150

Answer: (C)

Malignant hypertension is a hypertensive emergency defined by a systolic pressure above 180 mmHg or a diastolic pressure above 120 mmHg. This level signals a high risk of end-organ damage, so it triggers urgent, careful blood pressure management to prevent complications such as retinal changes, brain involvement, or kidney injury. The 180/120 threshold is the standard line used to identify this severe, danger-sign BP level, whereas the other numbers describe less severe hypertension categories or crises that don’t meet the malignant criteria.