title: Predictors of postoperative myocardial ischaemia. The role of intercurrent arterial hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors.
abstract: One hundred and eighty-three patients were studied to examine the role of a number of risk factors in the development of silent ischaemia after general anaesthesia for general and vascular surgery. We collected evidence of cardiovascular risk factors using a binary questionnaire. The patients were monitored pre- and postoperatively using a Holter ECG monitor. Usable data were collected on 140 patients. Pre-operative silent myocardial ischaemia was found to be strongly associated with postoperative silent myocardial ischaemia (odds ratio: 10.8, 95% confidence intervals: 3.8-30.7). A history of hypertension, indicated by treatment with antihypertensive drugs, was associated with increased risk (odds ratio: 2.58, 95% confidence intervals: 1.12-5.96). A linear trend was found for risk associated with increasing admission systolic blood pressure (odds ratio: 1.20 for each 10-mmHg increase in systolic pressure, 95% confidence intervals: 1.01-1.42). An association between vascular surgery and postoperative silent myocardial ischaemia was also confirmed (odds ratio: 2.36, 95% confidence intervals: 1.1-5.1).
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, UK.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hemming
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Allman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Glover
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sear
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Foëx
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures