Risk factors for development of postoperative hypertension

One hundred and eighty-nine patients who underwent digestive tract surgery were studied to investigate risk factors for the development of postoperative hypertension. We examined factors related to maximum postoperative systolic blood pressure and postoperative hypertensive urgency, a sign of postoperative hypertension. Data collected included blood pressure, age, sex, body mass index (BMI), medical history, total water balance and grade of surgical stress. Maximum postoperative systolic blood pressure and incidence of postoperative hypertensive urgency were the dependent variables. Mean preoperative systolic blood pressure, age and BMI were significantly related to maximum postoperative systolic blood pressure and postoperative hypertensive urgency. In addition, the grade of surgical stress was significantly related to maximum postoperative systolic blood pressure. In analyses of multiple variables, the adjusted odds ratio for postoperative hypertensive urgency was 1.16 for every 1 mmHg increase in mean preoperative systolic blood pressure, 1.05 for every 1 year increase in age and 0.82 for every 1 kg/m2 increase in BMI. These findings may have important clinical implications for the prevention of postoperative hypertension.