European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Background: Pre-anaesthesia check-ups (PAC) are crucial for patients undergoing elective surgical procedures, ensuring optimal preparation, and minimizing complications. Hypertension is a common medical condition in PAC clinics, and poorly controlled blood pressure can lead to dangerous outcomes. Sikkim, a small Himalayan state, has one of the highest prevalence of high blood pressure in the country. This study aims to determine the prevalence of hypertension in Sikkim adults aged 19 to 35 and its associated risk factors to understand disease trends and assess healthcare needs. Material and method: The study included patients aged 19-35 years who were scheduled for elective surgical procedures. Once the patient's demographic data and clinical history were recorded, blood pressure of the patient was measured using an aneroid sphygmomanometer after eliminating all environmental and emotional influences. Questions were asked for presence of risk factors associated with high blood pressure. Patients with a history of hypertension were labelled as "proven cases" and those found to be hypertensive for first time were labelled as "newly diagnosed hypertensive." Period prevalence of hypertension was calculated using suitable formula and compared with national average prevalence of hypertension. Result: The study showed that in Sikkim, the prevalence of hypertension in male patients is   27.9% while that in female patients is 23.74%. This is slightly higher than the national prevalence of hypertension in male and female population of India. Majority of hypertensive patients were found to have risk factors for hypertension. Conclusion: to avoid potentially deleterious effect of uncontrolled blood pressure, Anaesthesiologists must thoroughly examine patients undergoing surgical procedures and ensure that their blood pressure is optimised to prevent morbidities during the perioperative period.