Physician Estimates of Perioperative Cardiac Risk in Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery

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Abstract
IN 1990, it was estimated that 1 million of the 27 million patients undergoing noncardiac surgery in the United States would suffer a perioperative cardiac complication.1 As a result of this risk, surgeons frequently request medical evaluations to assess perioperative cardiac risk. Preoperative medical consultations are so common that members of the American College of Physicians (ACP) rated perioperative cardiac risk assessment as a top-10 topic needing guideline development.2 Recently, the ACP provided guidelines for assessing and managing the perioperative risk from coronary artery disease associated with major noncardiac surgery.3,4