The Effectiveness of a Preoperative Blood Pressure Screening Program to Identify Undiagnosed Hypertension in Ambulatory Surgery Patients (Peri-op HTN)

Elevated blood pressure is the largest contributing risk factor to all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, hypertension affects nearly 30% of the adult population. Many patients remain undiagnosed, despite the consensus that screening and timely diagnosis is paramount. In this study, 108 ambulatory surgery patients with elevated blood pressure (160/90) that are not yet formally diagnosed with hypertension will be enrolled and alerted of their high blood pressure by a co-investigator MD. They will request permission to follow-up with the patient and the patient's primary care provider 6 months after the initial phone call to check in on the status of their diagnosis and any action taken (lifestyle changes, medication) to alleviate their high blood pressure. Patients will receive a follow-up letter/email at 6 and 3 months to remind them of their potential diagnosis.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Hypertension; Perioperative Hypertension
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Anesthesiologist phone call

• Study Type: Observational

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • New York, New York, United States, 10021
      • Hospital for Special Surgery

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients receiving elective ambulatory surgery with a preoperative blood pressure measurement greater than 160 (systolic) and/or 90 (diastolic)

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients undergoing elective ambulatory surgery
• Patients with a pre-operative elevated BP defined as greater than 160/90
• Patients above the age of 18
• English speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with a pre-existing diagnosis of HTN
• Patients who are taking a hypertensive medication
• Patients who had a pre-operative surgical screening assessment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Potential Undiagnosed HTN

Other: Anesthesiologist phone call; Patients receiving ambulatory surgery with no prior diagnosis of hypertension but have elevated blood pressure prior to surgery. Patients will receive a phone call from a participating anesthesiologist 1-3 days after surgery notifying them of their high blood pressure and obtaining oral consent to participate in the study. Patients will receive reminders via mail about following up with their PCP.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Diagnosis of hypertension 6 months after surgery	The number of patients with previously undiagnosed hypertension that have obtained a formal diagnosis of hypertension	6 months postoperative

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
PCP follow up 6 months after surgery	Number of patients that followed-up with a primary care physician for further hypertension testing within 6 months of surgery	6 months postoperative
Hypertension treatment 6 months after surgery	Number of patients that followed-up for their hypertension that received some sort of treatment, either medication or lifestyle	6 months postoperative

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hospital for Special Surgery, New York

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 20, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 19, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): June 19, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 18, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 18, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): September 19, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 12, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 11, 2026
• Last Verified: October 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Hypertension
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2018-0914

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No