Prehospital personnel can contribute to distinguishing between various etiologies of hypertension. Often, drug paraphernalia or medication can be found at the patient’s home. A patient who is referred to the ED by a primary care provider may have paperwork detailing the prior workup for hypertension or the reason for referral. Elevated blood pressure alone does not often necessitate an ambulance transfer to the hospital, but the patient’s symptoms may explain why they were referred.
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