Cardiovascular Risk in Non-cardiac Surgery

Abstract

Increased age of population is creating a greater requirement in anesthesia procedures for cardiopatic patients outside cardiac surgery itself. The management of those patients in different surgical disciplines requests a sound knowledge of basic cardiac risk factors and most frequently associated co-existing diseases. It has been established that preoperative evaluation is of uttermost importance to avoid adverse cardiac events, this kind of process not only helps the clinician to avoid catastrophic perioperative events but even lessens need for unwarranted extension of hospital stay and increases of costs. Furthermore, the appearance of percutaneous myocardial revascularization by means of stents and necessary adjuvant newest anti-aggregating therapies places more challenges to the anesthesiologist, opening future scenarios in the management of anesthesia techniques and control of perioperative coagulation and homeostasis. A correct patient preoperative stratification combined with updated knowledge of new drugs and cardiac invasive techniques is the keystone for success in this field.