High blood pressure after surgery can be a cause of concern for many individuals. Read on to learn the six possible causes, factors, and associated risks.
Quick Summary
- Increased blood pressure is a common occurrence after surgery. These changes in blood pressure may or may not fade away within three days.
- Acute pain and other factors can lead to high BP as a response to survival.
- Due to constriction and dilation of blood vessels, a patient can observe HBP after surgery.
Surgery is never without potential risks, but one particular risk after surgery can be high blood pressure. Such situations can be tricky and might lead to several other life-threatening complications.
If you experience this health condition post-surgery, it’s essential to seek out proper treatment as soon as possible.
This article will explore six possible causes of high blood pressure after surgery, the risks associated, and how you can address them.
Contents
What Are The Possible Reasons For High Blood Pressure Post Surgery?
Change in blood pressure after surgery is common. A patient with no previous HBP records can observe a rise between 1 to 48 hours. Medical professionals usually monitor any such changes and can provide medications to bring them down to normal levels.
Pain Sensations
Another typical reason for increased blood pressure is pain. The sensation of intense pain can activate the brain and raise the blood pressure in response.
Acute pain that causes elevated BP is generally a survival mechanism that allows humans to escape harm.
Increased Heart Load
Another reason for high blood pressure after surgery is the increased workload on the heart. Since having surgery puts a lot of stress on your heart, it can increase blood pressure.
On the other hand, increased levels of BP can make the heart work harder than usual. This can lead to stopping the pump of blood to the body.
Oxygen Levels
A change or increase in the blood pressure can be due to an inadequate supply of oxygen to the tissues. This can happen due to factors such as a restrictive wound or tight bandages.
In some cases, the pulmonary arteries become constrictive when blood oxygen levels are low. As a result, the blood is compressed, raising blood pressure and leading to pulmonary hypertension.
Blood clots
One is prone to getting a blood clot between two to ten days after the surgery. An increase in blood pressure may be noticed in a patient during this time.
This can also be due to the scars from the previous history of clots that have narrowed or blocked the pulmonary arteries. Such a condition is referred to as chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
Anesthesia
A few concerns are associated with high blood pressure after surgery due to anesthesia. One is that the anesthetist provided too much sedation, which caused the body to retain more fluid.
This can raise blood pressure because it makes a person more resistant to the natural constriction and dilation of blood vessels. This condition can lead to hypertension.
Are There Any Long-Term Risks Associated With High Blood Pressure After Surgery?
Heart disease and stroke are a few long-term risks associated with high blood pressure after surgery. HBP can also cause kidney damage, blindness, and problems with your nerves or muscles.
If one has this condition, it is important to talk to a doctor about the risks and get treatment.
What Are the Risk Factors for High Blood Pressure After Surgery?
There are many possible risk factors for high blood pressure after surgery, including age, race, sex, BMI, history of hypertension, and family history.
Other factors leading to an increase in the risk of HBP include being overweight or obese, having a sedentary lifestyle, and having a diet high in sodium. One should also discuss with a doctor if they are taking any supplements to maintain blood health.
A doctor will be able to conclude the risk factors that are most likely to cause high blood pressure after surgery.
Medications for High Blood Pressure After Surgery
There are a number of drugs or medications that can be taken to help lower high blood pressure after surgery. These include beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors), and calcium channel blockers.
Talking to your doctor is important before taking any of these medicines since they usually have the tendency to react. The wrong dosage or reaction of any medicine can cause side effects and even lead to death in some cases.
Conclusion
If you have high blood pressure following surgery, it might or might not be a reason for concern. A doctor will usually monitor a patient’s BP for a specific period of time after surgery.
Even a few weeks after surgery, one should monitor their blood pressure and refer to a chart to analyze the changes.
If one experiences severe chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling or fluid retention around the ankles or feet, or frequent headaches, they should contact their doctor immediately.