Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery In-Service Training (OMSITE) Practice Exam 2026 - Free OMSITE Practice Questions and Study Guide

Intra-operative hypertension during dental surgery can be attributed to several factors, but increased preload due to intravenous fluid administration is significant in this context. When fluids are administered intravenously, they increase the volume of blood in the circulatory system. This increase in blood volume can elevate the venous return to the heart, leading to heightened stroke volume and cardiac output. As a result, the blood pressure rises, manifesting as hypertension during the surgical procedure.

While factors like dehydration, excessive use of local anesthetics, and patient anxiety can also contribute to variations in blood pressure, they do not have the same direct and pronounced effect on fluid dynamics and cardiac performance as increased preload does. Dehydration typically leads to hypotension rather than hypertension. Excessive local anesthetics may cause systemic toxicity, which can lead to cardiovascular changes, but these are more variable and not consistently linked to increased preload. Lastly, while anxiety can certainly elevate blood pressure, it does so through different physiological mechanisms such as the release of catecholamines, which may be less pronounced compared to the direct volume effects of intravenous fluids. Therefore, increased preload due to intravenous fluid administration is the most credible explanation for intra-operative hypertension in this scenario.