Controversy surrounds the acceptance of hypertension as an
independent risk factor for anaesthesia. In an attempt to
identify variables that are associated with increased
haemodynamic instability during surgery, the blood pressure
profiles of 128 patients were analysed. The two variables
that contributed most to the instability were pre-operative
control of blood pressure and anaesthetic technique. To
reduce the fluctuation in blood pressure, it is advisable for patients to be given a regional anaesthetic. Current therapy for hypertension appears to exaggerate the depressant effects of anaesthetic drugs. Care must be taken not only to prevent hypertensive episodes during surgery, but also hypotensio
