The patient with hypertension and new guidelines for therapy

Hypertension is a leading disease in preoperative clinics; nearly 60% of patients over 60 years have it. Many guidelines have been published for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. Last year, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and European Society of Cardiology and European Society of Hypertension made new recommendations for diagnosis and management, with special emphasis on targets, nonpharmacological treatment, and management of the elderly patient, and pharmacological therapy. We will review relevant concordances and differences that are important for the anesthesiologist and perioperative management.

Adults with stage 1 hypertension have a two-fold increase in cardiovascular disease risk. Tight blood pressure management improves outcome. Discontinuing angiotensin receptor blockers/angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors is associated with less intraoperative hypotension and probably less morbidity and mortality.

New guidelines could increase the burden of patients with pharmacological treatment that will need surgery and require case by case considerations. The scarcity of information demands trials about blood pressure management and consensus about antihypertensive medications in perioperative period.