Association of Kidney Function With Major Postoperative Events After Noncardiac Ambulatory Surgeries: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or death after ambulatory noncardiac surgery. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) commonly undergo surgical procedures. Although most are performed in an ambulatory setting, the risk of major perioperative outcomes after ambulatory surgery for people with CKD is unknown. METHODS: In this retrospective population-based cohort study using administrative health data from Alberta, Canada, we included adults with measured preoperative kidney function undergoing ambulatory noncardiac surgery between April 1, 2005 and February 28, 2017. Participants were categorized into 6 eGFR categories (in mL/min/1.73m 2 )of ≥60 (G1-2), 45 to 59 (G3a), 30 to 44 (G3b), 15 to 29 (G4), <15 not receiving dialysis (G5ND), and those receiving chronic dialysis (G5D). The odds of AMI or death within 30 days of surgery were estimated using multivariable generalized estimating equation models. RESULTS: We identified 543,160 procedures in 323,521 people with a median age of 66 years (IQR 56-76); 52% were female. Overall, 2338 people (0.7%) died or had an AMI within 30 days of surgery. Compared with the G1-2 category, the adjusted odds ratio of death or AMI increased from 1.1 (95% confidence interval: 1.0-1.3) for G3a to 3.1 (2.6-3.6) for G5D. Emergency Department and Urgent Care Center visits within 30 days were frequent (17%), though similar across eGFR categories. CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory surgery was associated with a low risk of major postoperative events. This risk was higher for people with CKD, which may inform their perioperative shared decision-making and management.

Perioperative management for people with kidney failure receiving dialysis: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: People with kidney failure receiving dialysis (CKD-G5D) are more likely to undergo surgery and experience poorer postoperative outcomes than those without kidney failure. In this scoping review, we aimed to systematically identify and summarize perioperative strategies, protocols, pathways, and interventions that have been studied or implemented for people with CKD-G5D. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Controlled Trials registry (inception to February 2020), in addition to an extensive grey literature search, for sources that reported on a perioperative strategy to guide management for people with CKD-G5D. We summarized the overall study characteristics and perioperative management strategies and identified evidence gaps based on surgery type and perioperative domain. Publication trends over time were assessed, stratified by surgery type and study design. RESULTS: We included 183 studies; the most common study design was a randomized controlled trial (27%), with 67% of publications focused on either kidney transplantation or dialysis vascular access. Transplant-related studies often focused on fluid and volume management strategies and risk stratification, whereas dialysis vascular access studies focused most often on imaging. The number of publications increased over time, across all surgery types, though driven by non-randomized study designs. CONCLUSIONS: Despite many current gaps in perioperative research for patients with CKD-G5D, evidence generation supporting perioperative management is increasing, with recent growth driven primarily by non-randomized studies. Our review may inform organization of evidence-based strategies into perioperative care pathways where evidence is available while also highlighting gaps that future perioperative research can address.

Prediction of major postoperative events after non-cardiac surgery for people with kidney failure: derivation and internal validation of risk models.

BACKGROUND: People with kidney failure often require surgery and experience worse postoperative outcomes compared to the general population, but existing risk prediction tools have excluded those with kidney failure during development or exhibit poor performance. Our objective was to derive, internally validate, and estimate the clinical utility of risk prediction models for people with kidney failure undergoing non-cardiac surgery. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASURES: This study involved derivation and internal validation of prognostic risk prediction models using a retrospective, population-based cohort. We identified adults from Alberta, Canada with pre-existing kidney failure (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] < 15 mL/min/1.73m2 or receipt of maintenance dialysis) undergoing non-cardiac surgery between 2005-2019. Three nested prognostic risk prediction models were assembled using clinical and logistical rationale. Model 1 included age, sex, dialysis modality, surgery type and setting. Model 2 added comorbidities, and Model 3 added preoperative hemoglobin and albumin. Death or major cardiac events (acute myocardial infarction or nonfatal ventricular arrhythmia) within 30 days after surgery were modelled using logistic regression models. RESULTS: The development cohort included 38,541 surgeries, with 1,204 outcomes (after 3.1% of surgeries); 61% were performed in males, the median age was 64 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 53, 73), and 61% were receiving hemodialysis at the time of surgery. All three internally validated models performed well, with c-statistics ranging from 0.783 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.770, 0.797) for Model 1 to 0.818 (95%CI: 0.803, 0.826) for Model 3. Calibration slopes and intercepts were excellent for all models, though Models 2 and 3 demonstrated improvement in net reclassification. Decision curve analysis estimated that use of any model to guide perioperative interventions such as cardiac monitoring would result in potential net benefit over default strategies. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and internally validated three novel models to predict major clinical events for people with kidney failure having surgery. Models including comorbidities and laboratory variables showed improved accuracy of risk stratification and provided the greatest potential net benefit for guiding perioperative decisions. Once externally validated, these models may inform perioperative shared decision making and risk-guided strategies for this population.

Estimated GFR and Incidence of Major Surgery: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Kidney disease is associated with an increased risk for postoperative morbidity and mortality. However, the incidence of major surgery on a population level is unknown. We aimed to determine the incidence of major surgery by level of kidney function. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study with entry from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2009, and outcome surveillance from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2016. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Population-based study using administrative health data from Alberta, Canada; adults with an outpatient serum creatinine measurement or receiving maintenance dialysis formed the study cohort. EXPOSURE: Participants were categorized into 6 estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) categories: ≥60 (G1-G2), 45 to 59 (G3a), 30 to 44 (G3b), 15 to 29 (G4), and<15mL/min/1.73m2 with (G5D) and without (G5) dialysis. eGFR was examined as a time-varying exposure based on means of measurements within 3-month ascertainment periods throughout the study period. OUTCOME: Major surgery defined as surgery requiring admission to the hospital for at least 24 hours. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Incidence rates (IRs) for overall major surgery were estimated using quasi-Poisson regression and adjusted for age, sex, income, location of residence, albuminuria, and Charlson comorbid conditions. Age- and sex-stratified IRs of 13 surgery subtypes were also estimated. RESULTS: 1,455,512 cohort participants were followed up for a median of 7.0 (IQR, 5.3) years, during which time 241,989 (16.6%) underwent a major surgery. Age and sex modified the relationship between eGFR and incidence of surgery. Men younger than 65 years receiving maintenance dialysis experienced the highest rates of major surgery, with an adjusted IR of 243.8 (95% CI, 179.8-330.6) per 1,000 person-years. There was a consistent trend of increasing surgery rates at lower eGFRs for most subtypes of surgery. LIMITATIONS: Outpatient preoperative serum creatinine measurement was necessary for inclusion and outpatient surgical procedures were not included. CONCLUSIONS: People with reduced eGFR have a significantly higher incidence of major surgery compared with those with normal eGFR, and age and sex modify this increased risk. This study informs our understanding of how surgical burden changes with differing levels of kidney function.

Description of a Multi-faceted COVID-19 Pandemic Physician Workforce Plan at a Multi-site Academic Health System.

BACKGROUND: The evolving COVID-19 pandemic has and continues to present a threat to health system capacity. Rapidly expanding an existing acute care physician workforce is critical to pandemic response planning in large urban academic health systems. INTERVENTION: The Medical Emergency-Pandemic Operations Command (MEOC)-a multi-specialty team of physicians, operational leaders, and support staff within an academic Department of Medicine in Calgary, Canada-partnered with its provincial health system to rapidly develop a comprehensive, scalable pandemic physician workforce plan for non-ventilated inpatients with COVID-19 across multiple hospitals. The MEOC Pandemic Plan comprised seven components, each with unique structure and processes. METHODS: In this manuscript, we describe MEOC's Pandemic Plan that was designed and implemented from March to May 2020 and re-escalated in October 2020. We report on the plan's structure and process, early implementation outcomes, and unforeseen challenges. Data sources included MEOC documents, health system, public health, and physician engagement implementation data. KEY RESULTS: From March 5 to October 26, 2020, 427 patients were admitted to COVID-19 units in Calgary hospitals. In the initial implementation period (March-May 2020), MEOC communications reached over 2500 physicians, leading to 1446 physicians volunteering to provide care on COVID-19 units. Of these, 234 physicians signed up for hospital shifts, and 227 physicians received in-person personal protective equipment simulation training. Ninety-three physicians were deployed on COVID-19 units at four large acute care hospitals. The resurgence of cases in September 2020 has prompted re-escalation including re-activation of COVID-19 units. CONCLUSIONS: MEOC leveraged an academic health system partnership to rapidly design, implement, and refine a comprehensive, scalable COVID-19 acute care physician workforce plan whose components are readily applicable across jurisdictions or healthcare crises. This description may guide other institutions responding to COVID-19 and future health emergencies.

Mortality and cardiovascular events in adults with kidney failure after major non-cardiac surgery: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: People with kidney failure have a high incidence of major surgery, though the risk of perioperative outcomes at a population-level is unknown. Our objective was to estimate the proportion of people with kidney failure that experience acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or death within 30 days of major non-cardiac surgery, based on surgery type. METHODS: In this retrospective population-based cohort study, we used administrative health data to identify adults from Alberta, Canada with major surgery between April 12,005 and February 282,017 that had preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) < 15 mL/min/1.73m2 or received chronic dialysis. The index surgical procedure for each participant was categorized within one of fourteen surgical groupings based on Canadian Classification of Health Interventions (CCI) codes applied to hospitalization administrative datasets. We estimated the proportion of people that had AMI or died within 30 days of the index surgical procedure (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) following logistic regression, stratified by surgery type. RESULTS: Overall, 3398 people had a major surgery (1905 hemodialysis; 590 peritoneal dialysis; 903 non-dialysis). Participants were more likely male (61.0%) with a median age of 61.5 years (IQR 50.0-72.7). Within 30 days of surgery, 272 people (8.0%) had an AMI or died. The probability was lowest following ophthalmologic surgery at 1.9% (95%CI: 0.5, 7.3) and kidney transplantation at 2.1% (95%CI: 1.3, 3.2). Several types of surgery were associated with greater than one in ten risk of AMI or death, including retroperitoneal (10.0% [95%CI: 2.5, 32.4]), intra-abdominal (11.7% [8.7, 15.5]), skin and soft tissue (12.1% [7.4, 19.1]), musculoskeletal (MSK) (12.3% [9.9, 15.5]), vascular (12.6% [10.2, 15.4]), anorectal (14.7% [6.3, 30.8]), and neurosurgical procedures (38.1% [20.3, 59.8]). Urgent or emergent procedures had the highest risk, with 12.1% experiencing AMI or death (95%CI: 10.7, 13.6) compared with 2.6% (1.9, 3.5) following elective surgery. CONCLUSIONS: After major non-cardiac surgery, the risk of death or AMI for people with kidney failure varies significantly based on surgery type. This study informs our understanding of surgery type and risk for people with kidney failure. Future research should focus on identifying high risk patients and strategies to reduce these risks.

Association of NT-proBNP and BNP With Future Clinical Outcomes in Patients With ESKD: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Use of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) for cardiovascular (CV) risk assessment in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) remains unclear. We examined the associations between different threshold elevations of these peptide levels and clinical outcomes in patients with ESKD. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. SETTING & STUDY POPULATIONS: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE (through September 2019) for observational studies of adults with ESKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate≤15mL/min/1.73m2 or receiving maintenance dialysis). SELECTION CRITERIA FOR STUDIES: Studies that reported NT-proBNP or BNP levels and future CV events, CV mortality, or all-cause mortality. DATA EXTRACTION: Cohort characteristics and measures of risk associated with study-specified peptide thresholds. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Hazard ratios (HRs) for clinical outcomes associated with different NT-proBNP and BNP ranges were categorized into common thresholds and pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: We identified 61 studies for inclusion in our review (19,688 people). 49 provided sufficient detail for inclusion in meta-analysis. Pooled unadjusted HRs for CV mortality were progressively greater for greater thresholds of NT-proBNP, from 1.45 (95% CI, 0.91-2.32) for levels>2,000pg/mL to 5.95 (95% CI, 4.23-8.37) for levels>15,000pg/mL. Risk for all-cause mortality was significantly higher at all NT-proBNP thresholds ranging from> 1,000 to> 20,000pg/mL (HR range, 1.53-4.00). BNP levels>550pg/mL were associated with increased risk for CV mortality (HR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.49-4.33), while the risks for all-cause mortality were 2.04 (95% CI, 0.82-5.12) at BNP levels>100pg/mL and 2.97 (95% CI, 2.21-3.98) at BNP levels>550pg/mL. Adjusted analyses demonstrated similarly greater risks for CV and all-cause mortality with greater NT-proBNP concentrations. LIMITATIONS: Incomplete outcome reporting and risk for outcome reporting bias. Estimation of risk for CV events for specific thresholds of both peptides were limited by poor precision. CONCLUSIONS: ESKD-specific NT-proBNP and BNP level thresholds of elevation are associated with increased risk for CV and all-cause mortality. This information may help guide interpretation of NT-proBNP and BNP levels in patients with ESKD.

Sequential measurement of the neurosensory retina in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a model of microvascular injury in hypertensive emergency.

Optical coherence tomography of the eye suggests the retina thins in normal pregnancy. Our objectives were to confirm and extend these observations to women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). Maternal demographics, clinical/laboratory findings and measurements of macular thickness were repeatedly collected at gestational ages <20 weeks, 20-weeks to delivery, at delivery and postpartum. The primary outcome was the change in macular thickness from non-pregnant dimensions in women with incident HDP compared to non-hypertensive pregnant controls. Secondary outcomes were the relationship(s) between mean arterial pressure (MAP) and macular response. Data show macular thicknesses diminished at <20 weeks gestation in each of 27 pregnancies ending in HDP (mean 3.94 µm; 95% CI 4.66, 3.21) and 11 controls (mean 3.92 µm; 5.05, 2.79; P < 0.001 versus non-pregnant dimensions in both; P = 0.983 HDP versus controls). This thinning response continued to delivery in all controls and in 7 women with HDP superimposed on chronic hypertension. Macular thinning was lost after 20 weeks gestation in the other 20 women with HDP. MAP at loss of macular thinning in women without prior hypertension (n = 12) was identical to MAP at enrollment. However, mean MAP subsequently rose 19 mmHg (15, 22) leading to de novo HDP in all 12 women. Loss of thinning leading to a rise in MAP was also observed in 8 of 15 women with HDP superimposed on chronic hypertension. We conclude the macula thins in most women in early pregnancy. Those who lose this early macular thinning response often develop blood pressure elevations leading to HDP.

Derivation and External Validation of a Risk Index for Predicting Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Kidney Replacement Therapy After Noncardiac Surgery.

Importance: Severe acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious postoperative complication. A tool for predicting the risk of AKI requiring kidney replacement therapy (KRT) after major noncardiac surgery might assist with patient counseling and targeted use of measures to reduce this risk. Objective: To derive and validate a predictive model for AKI requiring KRT after major noncardiac surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this prognostic study, 5 risk prediction models were derived and internally validated in a population-based cohort of adults without preexisting kidney failure who underwent noncardiac surgery in Alberta, Canada, between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2013. The best performing model and corresponding risk index were externally validated in a population-based cohort of adults without preexisting kidney failure who underwent noncardiac surgery in Ontario, Canada, between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2017. Data analysis was conducted from September 1, 2019, to May 31, 2021. Exposures: Demographic characteristics, surgery type, laboratory measures, and comorbidities before surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures: Acute kidney injury requiring KRT within 14 days after surgery. Discrimination was assessed using the C statistic; calibration was assessed using calibration intercept and slope. Logistic recalibration was used to optimize model calibration in the external validation cohort. Results: The derivation cohort included 92 114 patients (52.2% female; mean [SD] age, 62.3 [18.0] years), and the external validation cohort included 709 086 patients (50.8% female; mean [SD] age, 61.0 [16.0] years). A total of 529 patients (0.6%) developed postoperative AKI requiring KRT in the derivation cohort, and 2956 (0.4%) developed postoperative AKI requiring KRT in the external validation cohort. The following factors were consistently associated with the risk of AKI requiring KRT: younger age (40-69 years: odds ratio [OR], 2.07 [95% CI, 1.69-2.53]; <40 years: OR, 3.73 [95% CI, 2.61-5.33]), male sex (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.28-1.87), surgery type (colorectal: OR, 4.86 [95% CI, 3.28-7.18]; liver or pancreatic: OR, 6.46 [95% CI, 3.85-10.83]; other abdominal: OR, 2.19 [95% CI, 1.66-2.89]; abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: OR, 19.34 [95% CI, 14.31-26.14]; other vascular: OR, 7.30 [95% CI, 5.48-9.73]; thoracic: OR, 3.41 [95% CI, 2.07-5.59]), lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.97-0.97 per 1 mL/min/1.73 m2 increase), lower hemoglobin concentration (OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99 per 0.1 g/dL increase), albuminuria (mild: OR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.52-2.33]; heavy: OR, 3.74 [95% CI, 2.98-4.69]), history of myocardial infarction (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.32-2.03), and liver disease (mild: OR, 2.32 [95% CI, 1.66-3.24]; moderate or severe: OR, 4.96 [95% CI, 3.58-6.85]). In external validation, a final model including these variables showed excellent discrimination (C statistic, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.95-0.96), with sensitivity of 21.2%, specificity of 99.9%, positive predictive value of 38.1%, and negative predictive value of 99.7% at a predicted risk threshold of 10% or greater. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings suggest that this risk model can predict AKI requiring KRT after noncardiac surgery using routine preoperative data. The model may be feasible for implementation in clinical perioperative risk stratification for severe AKI.

Perioperative management for people with chronic kidney disease receiving dialysis undergoing major surgery: a protocol for a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: People with chronic kidney disease receiving dialysis (CKD G5D) have an increased risk of poor postoperative outcomes and a high incidence of major surgery. Despite the high burden of these combined risks, there is a paucity of evidence to support tailored perioperative strategies to manage this population. A comprehensive evidence synthesis would inform the management of these patients in the perioperative period and identify knowledge gaps. We describe a protocol for a scoping review of the literature to identify existing perioperative strategies, protocols, pathways and interventions for people with CKD G5D undergoing major surgery. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a scoping review in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and report per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews. In February 2020, we will complete our search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry for published literature from inception to present. All study types are eligible for inclusion, without language restriction. Studies reporting a perioperative intervention in adult patients with CKD G5D are eligible for inclusion. Studies in prevalent kidney transplant patients or patients with acute kidney injury, and studies that report on surgical approaches without consideration of perioperative management strategies, will be excluded. Reviewers will independently assess abstracts for all identified studies in duplicate, and again at the full-text stage. Following published literature searches, a search of the grey literature will be developed. We will extract and narratively report study, participant and intervention details. This will include a summary table outlining the strategies employed, organised into post hoc developed perioperative domains. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical considerations do not apply to this scoping review. Findings will be disseminated through relevant conference presentations and publications.

Hypertension Canada's 2020 Comprehensive Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, and Treatment of Hypertension in Adults and Children.

Hypertension Canada's 2020 guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment of hypertension in adults and children provide comprehensive, evidence-based guidance for health care professionals and patients. Hypertension Canada develops the guidelines using rigourous methodology, carefully mitigating the risk of bias in our process. All draft recommendations undergo critical review by expert methodologists without conflict to ensure quality. Our guideline panel is diverse, including multiple health professional groups (nurses, pharmacy, academics, and physicians), and worked in concert with experts in primary care and implementation to ensure optimal usability. The 2020 guidelines include new guidance on the management of resistant hypertension and the management of hypertension in women planning pregnancy.

Information exchange among physicians caring for the same patient in the community.

BACKGROUND: The exchange of information is an integral component of continuity of health care and may limit or prevent costly duplication of tests and treatments. This study determined the probability that patient information from previous visits with other physicians was available for a current physician visit. METHODS: We conducted a multicentre prospective cohort study including patients discharged from the medical or surgical services of 11 community and academic hospitals in Ontario. Patients included in the study saw at least 2 different physicians during the 6 months after discharge. The primary outcome was whether information from a previous visit with another physician was available at the current visit. We determined the availability of previous information using surveys of or interviews with the physicians seen during current visits. RESULTS: A total of 3250 patients, with a total of 39 469 previous-current visit combinations, met the inclusion criteria. Overall, information about the previous visit was available 22.0% of the time. Information was more likely to be available if the current doctor was a family physician (odds ratio [OR] 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.54-1.98) or a physician who had treated the patient before the hospital admission (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.21-1.46). Conversely, information was less likely to be available if the previous doctor was a family physician (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.32-0.44) or a physician who had treated the patient before the admission (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.60-0.86). The strongest predictor of information exchange was the current physician having previously received information about the patient from the previous physician (OR 7.72, 95% CI 6.92-8.63). INTERPRETATION: Health care information is often not shared among multiple physicians treating the same patient. This situation would be improved if information from family physicians and patients' regular physicians was more systematically available to other physicians.

Hypertension Canada's 2018 Guidelines for Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment of Hypertension in Adults and Children.

Hypertension Canada provides annually updated, evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, assessment, prevention, and treatment of hypertension in adults and children. This year, the adult and pediatric guidelines are combined in one document. The new 2018 pregnancy-specific hypertension guidelines are published separately. For 2018, 5 new guidelines are introduced, and 1 existing guideline on the blood pressure thresholds and targets in the setting of thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke is revised. The use of validated wrist devices for the estimation of blood pressure in individuals with large arm circumference is now included. Guidance is provided for the follow-up measurements of blood pressure, with the use of standardized methods and electronic (oscillometric) upper arm devices in individuals with hypertension, and either ambulatory blood pressure monitoring or home blood pressure monitoring in individuals with white coat effect. We specify that all individuals with hypertension should have an assessment of global cardiovascular risk to promote health behaviours that lower blood pressure. Finally, an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor combination should be used in place of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker in individuals with heart failure (with ejection fraction < 40%) who are symptomatic despite appropriate doses of guideline-directed heart failure therapies. The specific evidence and rationale underlying each of these guidelines are discussed.

Hypertension Canada's 2017 Guidelines for Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment of Hypertension in Adults.

Hypertension Canada provides annually updated, evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, assessment, prevention, and treatment of hypertension. This year, we introduce 10 new guidelines. Three previous guidelines have been revised and 5 have been removed. Previous age and frailty distinctions have been removed as considerations for when to initiate antihypertensive therapy. In the presence of macrovascular target organ damage, or in those with independent cardiovascular risk factors, antihypertensive therapy should be considered for all individuals with elevated average systolic nonautomated office blood pressure (non-AOBP) readings ≥ 140 mm Hg. For individuals with diastolic hypertension (with or without systolic hypertension), fixed-dose single-pill combinations are now recommended as an initial treatment option. Preference is given to pills containing an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker in combination with either a calcium channel blocker or diuretic. Whenever a diuretic is selected as monotherapy, longer-acting agents are preferred. In patients with established ischemic heart disease, caution should be exercised in lowering diastolic non-AOBP to ≤ 60 mm Hg, especially in the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy. After a hemorrhagic stroke, in the first 24 hours, systolic non-AOBP lowering to < 140 mm Hg is not recommended. Finally, guidance is now provided for screening, initial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of renovascular hypertension arising from fibromuscular dysplasia. The specific evidence and rationale underlying each of these guidelines are discussed.

The use of amiodarone for in-hospital cardiac arrest at two tertiary care centres.

BACKGROUND: Although amiodarone significantly increases survival to hospital admission when used in resuscitation of out-of-hospital pulseless ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, there are limited data on its utility for in-hospital arrests. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the use of amiodarone, as recommended by the year 2000 American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support guidelines, improved survival following its introduction to the resuscitation algorithm at two tertiary care institutions. METHODS: Charts of 374 cardiac resuscitations were retrospectively studied at the two institutions. Basic survival outcomes and demographic data were recorded for cardiac arrests with ventricular tachyarrhythmias qualifying for administration of antiarrhythmic agents. RESULTS: Qualifying rhythms were present in 95 patients. Clinical uptake of amiodarone was limited. In the 36 patients who received amiodarone, survival of resuscitation was 67% versus 83% (P=0.07) in the 59 patients receiving only other antiarrhythmic agents (chiefly lidocaine [94%]), while survival to discharge was 36.1% and 55.9% (P=0.06) in these two groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Following two years' experience with the introduction of intravenous amiodarone for resuscitation in the institutions, use was less than 50% and no clinically observable survival benefit could be documented. Possible explanations for the difference between this experience and that found in out-of-hospital resuscitation trials include differing patient populations and operator bias during resuscitation. These results should provoke other institutions to question whether amiodarone has improved survival of cardiac arrest under the conditions prevailing in their hospitals. A patient registry or prospective, randomized trial will be required to assess what parameters affect the success of intravenous amiodarone for resuscitation in-hospital.

Hypertension Canada's 2016 Canadian Hypertension Education Program Guidelines for Blood Pressure Measurement, Diagnosis, and Assessment of Risk of Pediatric Hypertension.

We present the inaugural evidence-based Canadian recommendations for the measurement of blood pressure in children and the diagnosis and evaluation of pediatric hypertension. Rates of pediatric hypertension are increasing concomitant with increased rates of childhood obesity. With this, there is growing awareness of the need to measure blood pressure in children. Consequently, the present recommendations have been developed to address an important gap and improve the clinical care of children. For 2016, a total of 15 recommendations are presented. These are categorized in a fashion similar to that of the existing adult recommendations. Specifically, we present recommendations on (1) accurate measurement of blood pressure in children, (2) criteria for diagnosis of hypertension in children, (3) assessment of overall cardiovascular risk in hypertensive children, (4) routine laboratory tests for the investigation of children with hypertension, (5) ambulatory blood pressure measurement in children, and (6) the role of echocardiography. We discuss the rationale for the recommendations and present additional supporting material for the clinician, including tables with standardized techniques for blood pressure measurement and determination of normative blood pressure values for children. Hypertension Canada's Canadian Hypertension Education Program Guidelines Task Force will update the recommendations annually and develop future evidence-based recommendations to guide prevention and treatment of pediatric hypertension.

Hypertension Canada's 2016 Canadian Hypertension Education Program Guidelines for Blood Pressure Measurement, Diagnosis, Assessment of Risk, Prevention, and Treatment of Hypertension.

Hypertension Canada's Canadian Hypertension Education Program Guidelines Task Force provides annually updated, evidence-based recommendations to guide the diagnosis, assessment, prevention, and treatment of hypertension. This year, we present 4 new recommendations, as well as revisions to 2 previous recommendations. In the diagnosis and assessment of hypertension, automated office blood pressure, taken without patient-health provider interaction, is now recommended as the preferred method of measuring in-office blood pressure. Also, although a serum lipid panel remains part of the routine laboratory testing for patients with hypertension, fasting and nonfasting collections are now considered acceptable. For individuals with secondary hypertension arising from primary hyperaldosteronism, adrenal vein sampling is recommended for those who are candidates for potential adrenalectomy. With respect to the treatment of hypertension, a new recommendation that has been added is for increasing dietary potassium to reduce blood pressure in those who are not at high risk for hyperkalemia. Furthermore, in selected high-risk patients, intensive blood pressure reduction to a target systolic blood pressure ≤ 120 mm Hg should be considered to decrease the risk of cardiovascular events. Finally, in hypertensive individuals with uncomplicated, stable angina pectoris, either a ß-blocker or calcium channel blocker may be considered for initial therapy. The specific evidence and rationale underlying each of these recommendations are discussed. Hypertension Canada's Canadian Hypertension Education Program Guidelines Task Force will continue to provide annual updates.

The 2015 Canadian Hypertension Education Program recommendations for blood pressure measurement, diagnosis, assessment of risk, prevention, and treatment of hypertension.

The Canadian Hypertension Education Program reviews the hypertension literature annually and provides detailed recommendations regarding hypertension diagnosis, assessment, prevention, and treatment. This report provides the updated evidence-based recommendations for 2015. This year, 4 new recommendations were added and 2 existing recommendations were modified. A revised algorithm for the diagnosis of hypertension is presented. Two major changes are proposed: (1) measurement using validated electronic (oscillometric) upper arm devices is preferred over auscultation for accurate office blood pressure measurement; (2) if the visit 1 mean blood pressure is increased but < 180/110 mm Hg, out-of-office blood pressure measurements using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (preferably) or home blood pressure monitoring should be performed before visit 2 to rule out white coat hypertension, for which pharmacologic treatment is not recommended. A standardized ambulatory blood pressure monitoring protocol and an update on automated office blood pressure are also presented. Several other recommendations on accurate measurement of blood pressure and criteria for diagnosis of hypertension have been reorganized. Two other new recommendations refer to smoking cessation: (1) tobacco use status should be updated regularly and advice to quit smoking should be provided; and (2) advice in combination with pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation should be offered to all smokers. The following recommendations were modified: (1) renal artery stenosis should be primarily managed medically; and (2) renal artery angioplasty and stenting could be considered for patients with renal artery stenosis and complicated, uncontrolled hypertension. The rationale for these recommendation changes is discussed.