Perioperative Blood Pressure Control and Management.

Blood pressure monitoring and management is a vital part of the perianesthetic period. Disturbances in blood pressure, especially hypotension, can have significant impacts on the well-being of small animal patients. There are a variety of mechanisms present to control blood pressure, including ultra-short-, short-, and long-term mechanisms. Several conditions can contribute to decreased blood pressure, including anesthetics, tension pneumothorax, intermittent positive pressure ventilation, hypoxemia, hypercapnia, surgical positioning, and abdominal distension. If hypotension is encountered, the initial response is to provide appropriate fluid therapy. If this is inadequate, other interventions can be used to increase blood pressure and thereby increase perfusion.