Pain and blood pressure: short-term physiological benefit, long-term pathological harm?

Beckett, Nigel; Dhesi, Jugdeep; McCormack, Terry · Br J Anaesth · 2025

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Abstract

Acute pain is known to prompt a physiological response with an acute increase in blood pressure. A systematic review published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia demonstrates a relationship between chronic pain and hypertension. The biological mechanisms contributing to the complex relationship between chronic pain and hypertension are not yet fully understood. However, clinicians delivering chronic pain or hypertension services should proactively assess for both issues and provide a holistic approach to management.

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