Key result
Emergency department-based hypertension screening is feasible, and individuals with elevated blood pressure in this setting should be referred for follow-up.
Why the study?
Is emergency department-based hypertension screening feasible and effective for identifying undiagnosed hypertension?
Systematic Review
Is emergency department-based hypertension screening feasible and effective for identifying undiagnosed hypertension?
Emergency department-based hypertension screening is feasible and represents an important opportunity for early identification and referral of patients with undiagnosed hypertension.
Supports ED hypertension screening with referral; extends evidence for opportunistic detection in acute care settings.
PURPOSE: Hypertension is a highly prevalent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and its early identification and management results in reductions in morbidity and mortality. Our objectives were to: (1) determine the extent to which the emergency department (ED) has been used to screen patients for undiagnosed hypertension; (2) estimate the incidence of undiagnosed hypertension in the ED population; (3) identify and describe the programs for ED hypertension screening; and (4) determine the feasibility of ED-based hypertension screening programs and the requirements for further study. DATA SOURCES: An online search of databases (i.e., OVID Search, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science), unpublished sources (i.e., ProQuest Dissertation & Theses and Papers First), and grey literature (i.e., OpenSIGLE and the New York Academy of Grey Literature) was conducted. A manual search of the reference lists of relevant studies was also completed. CONCLUSION: Hypertension screening in the ED is feasible. Individuals with elevated blood pressure (BP) in the ED should be referred for follow-up. Further study is needed to develop an ED screening tool that is predictive of persistently elevated BP in undiagnosed individuals. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurse practitioners in the ED should identify patients with elevated BP, provide hypertension education, and ensure appropriate intervention and referral.
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Scott et al. (2011) conducted a systematic review in Undiagnosed hypertension. Emergency department based hypertension screening was evaluated on Feasibility of ED-based hypertension screening and incidence of undiagnosed hypertension. Emergency department-based hypertension screening is feasible, and individuals with elevated blood pressure in this setting should be referred for follow-up.
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