title: [Electrocardiogram analysis by the anesthesiologist.].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary goal of preoperative evaluation is to decrease morbidity/mortality related to surgical anesthetic procedures. All patients clinical surgical history must be obtained and only then the necessary exams may be determined. One of the most required exams is the electrocardiogram. This study aimed at comparing electrocar- diographic interpretation by cardiologists and different groups of anesthesiologists at Santa Casa de Porto Alegre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty resting electrocardiograms of several patients undergoing non cardiac surgeries were selected. All ECGs were analyzed and interpreted by two cardiologists and their agreement was considered the golden standard for interpretation. Anesthesiologists were divided in three groups: I - Preoperative Evaluation anesthesiologists - POEA (n = 5); II - Surgical Center Sarmento Barata Anesthesiologists (n = 10) and III - Resident Anesthesiologists (n = 5). All participants were asked to perform an ECG analysis and scores were established for such evaluation: rhythm = 2 points, heart rate = 1 point, P and PR = 2 points, QRS = 2 points, ST and T = 2 points and primary diagnosis = 1 point.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Means obtained for each group were: group I - 7.35 +/- 0.86 points; group II - 5.44 +/- 1.69 points and group III - 6.34 +/- 0.89 points and the difference between groups I and II was statistically significant (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative Evaluation Anesthesiologists achieved a higher score as compared to other groups. This was probably related to more training obtained by the constant ECG interpretation in the clinic.
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre.
authors.forename: Maurício
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Sheila Braga
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Florentino Fernandes
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Mendes