title: ACC/AHA guidelines for preoperative cardiovascular evaluation for noncardiac surgery: a critical point of view.
abstract: This review examines the issue of preoperative cardiac evaluation from a critical point of view, based on recent medical literature. We reviewed the history of that field and focused on the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guidelines, which are a cornerstone in the field of cardiac patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. These guidelines synthesized the data into a comprehensive format and established the concept of integrating the patient's risk with the surgical risk. Nevertheless, there are some weaknesses in the guidelines. We believe that a better understanding of the guideline limitations will allow an improved and more educated practice of its recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barak
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ben-Abraham
authors.forename: Yeshayahu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katz
mesh_terms: D000572:American Heart Association; D002309:Cardiology / Q000592:standards*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D014481:United States