Cardiac risk and perioperative management

Abstract

Cardiovascular complications are the major cause of perioperative and late morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing major vascular surgery. This is related to the frequent presence of underlying coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD may be asymptomatic because of reduced exercise capacity due to pre-existing non-cardiac conditions like stroke or claudication. Careful preoperative evaluation of CAD and perioperative management with beta-blockers and statins may offer the physician a unique opportunity to improve patients' perioperative and long-term outcome.