Quantifying the Problem: Undiagnosed Hypertension in the Emergency Department and Failure to Refer for Blood Pressure Recheck

Diagnosis, Treatment, and Referral of Hypertension or Prehypertension in an Emergency Department After an Educational Program: Preliminary Results

“…1,[24][25][26] ED physicians have done a poor job in recognizing, treating, and referring patients with hypertension for follow-up care. [17][18][19][20][21] In an ED of a tertiary care teaching hospital, 1574 patients had hypertension. 17 Of these 1574 patients, a discharge diagnosis of hypertension was made in 93 patients (6%), antihypertensive treatment was given in the ED to 38 patients (2%), discharge instructions for follow-up of BP were given to 82 patients (5%), and a prescription for antihypertensive drugs was given to 33 patients (2%).…”

“…17 Of 137 patients seen in a university ED who needed referral for hypertension management, 5 (4%) were referred. 18 Of 37 patients with hypertension seen in the ED of an academic medical center, 27 (73%) did not have their BP rechecked and were not referred for follow-up of their hypertension. 19 Of 269 patients with a BP !180 ⁄ 110 mm Hg seen in the ED of an academic medical center, 56 patients (21%) received antihypertensive treatment.…”

“…[12][13][14][15][16] Emergency department (ED) physicians have done a poor job in recognizing, treating, and referring patients with hypertension for follow-up care. [17][18][19][20][21] In addition, many patients being seen for medical care in the ED do not have a primary care physician or access to primary care.In March 2006, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Clinical Policies Subcommittee recommended that patients with hypertension should be referred for follow-up of hypertension and treatment. 22 We previously reported in a prospective study from the ED of a university medical center that 11 of 500 patients (2.2%) seen in the ED did not have their blood pressure (BP) measured.…”

“…[12][13][14][15][16] Emergency department (ED) physicians have done a poor job in recognizing, treating, and referring patients with hypertension for follow-up care. [17][18][19][20][21] In addition, many patients being seen for medical care in the ED do not have a primary care physician or access to primary care.…”

Diagnosis, Treatment, and Referral of Hypertension in an Emergency Department

“…Hypertension is a major risk factor for coronary events, 1–6 stroke, 1,2,6–9 congestive heart failure, 1,2,10,11 and peripheral arterial disease 12–16 . Emergency department physicians have done a poor job in recognizing, treating, and referring patients with hypertension for follow‐up care 17–21 . Compounding this problem, many patients seen for medical care in the emergency department (ED) do not have a primary care physician or access to primary care.…”