Hypertension. Preoperative assessment and perioperative management.

Hypertension is a frequently encountered abnormality in patients being prepared for surgical procedures. This condition complicates anesthetic and postoperative management, but careful monitoring and treatment allow hypertensive patients to tolerate surgery safely. Particular attention should be directed toward continuing antihypertensive medicine until the time of the surgical procedure or initiating treatment before it, monitoring the blood pressure frequently after the operation, and controlling postoperative hypertension with one of many parenteral agents available. The possibility of the presence of secondary hypertension and cardiovascular complications of hypertension should be considered during the preoperative assessment.