Hypertension

Specialty: Cardiology
Age group: Adult

Criteria for referral to public hospital specialist clinic services

• Severe persistent hypertension greater than 180/110
• Refractory hypertension (blood pressure greater than 140/90) in patients:
  • taking three or more antihypertensive medicines
  • unable to tolerate maximum treatment.

Information to be included in the referral

Information that must be provided

• Blood pressure measurements, preferably taken on both arms
• Details of all relevant signs and symptoms
• Relevant medical history and comorbidities
• Any treatments previously tried, duration of trial and effect
• Current and complete medication history (including non-prescription medicines, herbs and supplements and recreational or injectable drugs).

Provide if available

• History of smoking and alcohol intake
• Liver function tests
• Full blood examination results
• Fasting lipid profile results
• Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)
• Urinalysis results
• Urine protein test results
• Renal artery duplex report (if renal artery stenosis is suspected and report is available)
• Previous 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) tracings
• Echocardiogram report
• If the person is pregnant or planning pregnancy
• If the person identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Additional comments

The Summary and referral information lists the information that should be included in a referral request.

Consider the possibility of secondary hypertension in younger patients.

See also obstetrics statewide referral criteria for Pre-eclampsia and Maternal medical conditions (which includes referrals for severe, refractory hypertension).

Where appropriate and available the referral may be directed to an alternative specialist clinic or service.

Referral to a public hospital is not appropriate for

Not applicable