My oral surgery rotation truly opened up my eyes to the problems associated with hypertension. It is our responsibility to provide medical consults to patients suffering from this issue. Hypertension is an epidemic in this country. It is really heartbreaking to witness young people dealing with this condition. My patient presented with an infection in an impacted third molar. She was my age and I was absolutely shocked when that blood pressure machine read 196/130. She was so young and in this life-threatening situation. I was surprised she did not go into shock right there in front of me! She explained to me that she suffered from preeclampsia while pregnant with her one month old son. I felt like the residents were very insensitive to the patient. She was extremely upset and in so much pain. They briefly told her they were not going to do treatment, told her to see, her doctor and sent her on her way. I think an official medical consult should've been emphasized and they should have sat down and went into more depth about her condition. My classmate and I sat and consoled her and she calmed down. I understand that you should not let appointments get to a personal level but some level of empathy has to be shown to build patient rapport, trust, and comfort.
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