Hypotension in the Postoperative Patient

Postoperative hypotension can have several causes; however, hemorrhage is the most common. By the time patients display physical signs of hemorrhage, such as hypotension, they have lost at least 30% or ∼1,500ml of their blood volume. The goal is to identify potential causes at an early stage and to prevent overt clinical shock. Shock is not the equivalent of hypotension, but episodes of hypotension can be an indicator of a pathologic condition that can ultimately lead to shock. In the case of bleeding, expedient identification and correction of hemorrhage are critical in the prevention of complete exsanguination.