Perioperative Blood Pressure Screening to Improve Long-term Cardiovascular Health

Perioperative Blood Pressure Screening to Improve Long-term Cardiovascular Health

To explore in a pilot randomized clinical trial, the impact of Home Blood Pressure Monitoring with patient directed information as compared to usual care on the postoperative management of blood pressure.

The intervention and control groups will be defined by, 1) preoperative home blood pressure monitoring with a detailed report sent to the patient, and 2) usual standard of care including a suggestion during the pre-operative clinic appointment to follow up with Primary Care. Both groups will receive a brief questionnaire about their blood pressure treatment and medication adherence. We will examine the rate of primary care follow-up and changes in hypertension treatment at 60 days post-operative, through a telephone call. This information, along with information regarding patient acceptance of the intervention will be used to inform the design of a future clinical trial powered to outcomes, including follow-up visits and blood pressure management.

Inclusion Criteria:

• We propose to recruit patients who present for ambulatory surgery, aged >18 years, with a preoperative blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg taken as the mean of two readings during the pre-admission testing visit.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who are unable or unwilling to be contacted by telephone, are non-English speaking, or are unable to operate an automated home blood pressure monitor will also be excluded.
• Healthy patients with blood pressure readings that fall within the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines.