Evaluation of the anesthetic risk in patients with coronary disease prior to non-cardiac surgery
Quandalle, P.; Bauters, C.; McFadden, E.P.; Lablanche, J.M.; Bertrand, M.E.
Annales de Cardiologie et d'Angeiologie 42(9): 484-490
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-3928 PMID: 8122864 Document Number: 415101
Evaluation of operative risk in coronary artery disease patients before non-cardiac surgery is a frequent problem concerning 100,000 patients each year in France. Perioperative cardiac morbidity is the first cause of death associated with non-cardiac surgery, with infarction rates of the order of 1 to 2% in coronary disease patients. These infarcts are followed by the death of the patient in 25 to 50% of cases. Evaluation of anesthetic risk is based upon three points: type of surgery, clinical findings and results of investigations. The risk is markedly increased in emergency surgery, and in thoracic, intraperitoneal and above all vascular surgery, in particular when clamping of the aorta is involved. From a clinical standpoint, only a history of infarction and signs of peripheral cardiac failure are independent predictive factors of postoperative complications. Other criteria, e.g. age, uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes and above all the severity of angina are also associated with the onset of perioperative-complications. This evaluation can be refined by electrocardiogram (Q wave, ST segment anomalies, ventricular hypertrophy and left bundle branch block) and chest X-ray. The usefulness and predictive value of exercise tests, when possible in a preoperative context, are particularly precious when the result is positive at low work-load. Many publications have studied the value of myocardial isotope scan, in particular before vascular surgery. They report the excellent negative predictive value (95 to 100%) of this investigation. Furthermore, the predictive value of isotope scan is all the greater when the clinical risk factors seen in the patients and the number of areas with ischemia are taken into account.