title: Medical therapy to reduce perioperative cardiac complications.
abstract: Preoperative cardiac assessment has become an integral part of contemporary anesthesia practice. Simple clinical markers can identify high-risk patients, but the question of how to reduce cardiac complications among high-risk patients has been controversial. Good quality randomized controlled trials have showed that neither preoperative coronary revascularization nor the placement of pulmonary artery catheters reduces perioperative cardiac complications. On the other hand, there is increasing evidence that medical therapy offers myocardial protection and reduces perioperative cardiac complications. The data supporting these conclusions are reviewed in an evidence-based manner. At present, it is prudent to treat moderate- to high-risk patients undergoing elective surgery with beta-blockers if possible. Because not all patients are candidates for beta-blocker therapy, data regarding the perioperative use of alternative medications to reduce perioperative cardiac complications have been explored and are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Scared Heart Medical Center, Spokane, Wash., USA.
authors.forename: Kevan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Darryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Potyk
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000367:Age Factors; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods*; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization; D018579:Patient Selection; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists