Preoperative preparation of patients with arterial or pulmonary hypertension in noncardiac surgery

Arterial hypertension is not an independent risk factor in cardiovascular complications in noncardiac surgery. Nevertheless, preoperative evaluation is necessary and includes estimation of arterial hypertension grade and possible damage of target organs. In patients with first and second grade of arterial hypertension postponement of elective intervention is not necessary, only optimization of therapy. On the other hand, patients with third level arterial hypertension have benefit if intervention is postponed till the reduction of arterial pressure. There is no indication that any of the antihypertensive drug groups has advantage in the preoperative treatment of hypertension. Unlike arterial hypertension pulmonary hypertension increases the risk of cardiac morbidity and mortality in the perioperative period. In patients with pulmonary hypertension, anesthesia and surgery may be complicated with heart failure, hypoxia and arrhythmias. Preoperative and postoperative treatments include calcium channel blockers, prostanoids, endothelin receptor antagonists and inhibitors of phosphodiesterase type 5.