title: Perioperative cardiac risk reduction.
abstract: Cardiovascular complications are the most common cause of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Noninvasive stress testing is rarely helpful in assessing risk, and for most patients there is no evidence that coronary revascularization provides more protection against perioperative cardiovascular events than optimal medical management. Patients likely to benefit from perioperative beta blockade include those with stable coronary artery disease and multiple cardiac risk factors. Perioperative beta blockers should be initiated weeks before surgery and titrated to heart rate and blood pressure targets. The balance of benefits and harms of perioperative beta-blocker therapy is much less favorable in patients with limited cardiac risk factors and when initiated in the acute preoperative period. Perioperative statin therapy is recommended for all patients undergoing vascular surgery. When prescribed for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, aspirin should be continued in the perioperative period.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. natalie.holt@post.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Natalie F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Holt
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009017:Morbidity; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D015996:Survival Rate; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors