Preoperative Evaluation and the
2014 ACC/AHA Guidelines
Stephen D. Sisson MD FACP
Objectives
1. To review preoperative evaluation
2. To review issues in perioperative medication
adjustment
3. To review preoperative testing
4. To review clinical risk assessment and risk assessment
tools
5. To review the role of functional assessment
6. To determine who needs further cardiac testing
7. To determine who might benefit from perioperative
beta blockers
Disclosures
• None
Preoperative
Evaluation
64F, PMH: DM, HTN, elevated cholesterol,
tobacco; preop for femoral/popliteal bypass.
Meds: Metformin 500mg, lisinopril 20mg, HCTZ
25mg daily. Labs, EKG normal.
What medication adjustments would you
recommend for this patient?
2014 ACC/AHA Guidelines
• Continue ACEI/ARB, or restart as soon as
clinically feasible postoperatively
• Continue statins if taking statin
• Consider initiating statin if undergoing vascular
surgery or with clinical indications and
undergoing elevated-risk procedures
A 57-year-old during preop for THR mentions
increasing angina. Stress test is positive; he then
undergoes placement of a drug-eluting stent in
his RCA. When should his elective total hip
replacement be rescheduled?
A. In 4-6 weeks
B. In 3 months
C. In 6 months
D. In 1 year
Antiplatelet therapy
Always try to continue DAPT; if not, at least continue aspirin.
Discuss with cardiology and surgery to balance risks.
Additional caveats about meds
• Look for steroid use >2 wks in prior year
• Ask specifically about OTC NSAIDs
• Ask about alcohol and other drugs of abuse
Preoperative cardiac testing
• Candidate tests:
– EKG
– Echocardiogram
– Cardiac catheterization
– Stress testing
Preoperative EKG
Not useful for low-risk surgical procedures
May be considered in those without known CAD*
Reasonable for patients with CAD, significant
arrhythmia, peripheral arterial disease, CVD, or
other significant heart disease*
(*except undergoing low risk surgery)
Preoperative Echocardiography
Routine preoperative evaluation of LV function
is not recommended
Reassessment of LV function in clinically stable
patients with previously documented LV
dysfunction may be considered if there has
been no assessment within a year
Preoperative cardiac
catheterization
• Coronary angiography in the asymptomatic
patient has no value in preoperative
evaluation
Clinical Risk Assessment
Clinical risk assessment
• Occurs throughout preoperative evaluation
• Review of systems used to gather information
on clinical risk factors not already uncovered in
HPI or PMH
• Combined with functional status and type of
surgery to predict perioperative risk
Of the following patients with cardiac
conditions, which one may proceed with
elective surgery?
A. Patient with aortic stenosis with valve area
0.9cm2 and chest pain
B. Patient with mitral stenosis with dyspnea on
exertion
C. Patient with angina that is present at rest
D. Patient with myocardial infarction 3 months ago
Cardiovascular risks
• Ischemic cardiovascular disease
– Angina
– Intracoronary stent
– Myocardial infarction
• Congestive heart failure
• Valvular heart disease
– (AS>MS>AR/MR)
• Hypertension
• Arrhythmias
Ischemic cardiovascular disease
• The presence of the following should postpone
surgery:
– Unstable angina
– Class III or IV angina
– Myocardial infarction < 60 days ago
Additional cardiac considerations
• Cardiac catheterization does not have a role in
preoperative risk assessment.
• Coronary revascularization should not be
performed solely to reduce operative risk for
another procedure.*
*If indicated on its own, revascularize before elective procedure
Congestive heart failure
• Decompensated congestive heart failure is a
contraindication to elective surgery
Valvular heart disease
• Obtain echo if clinically suspected moderate or
severe valvular heart disease if no echo in past
year, or clinically changed.
• Asymptomatic patients may undergo elective
noncardiac surgery, even with severe valvular
disease, with monitoring
– Consider mitral valve commisurotomy
preoperatively in severe mitral stenosis
Hypertension
• (no specific recommendations)
Arrhythmias
• Atrial fibrillation: no adjustments (other than
anticoagulation) if clinically stable
• Ventricular arrhythmias do not require special
therapy if clinically stable
• Communicate with Cardiology and surgeon if
pacemaker/AICD present
• Lack of data limits more specific
recommendations
Pulmonary Risks
• Pulmonary risk assessment poorly defined
– FEV1<1.5 = increased pulmonary complications
– FEV1<1.0 = likely prolonged intubation
• Serum albumin <3.5g/dl best predictor of
perioperative pulmonary complications
• (Consider ABG if CO2 retention, COPD,
restrictive lung disease)
Other systems
• Hematologic: h/o bleeding/thrombosis risk, h/o
transfusion reaction
• Endocrine: DM, thyroid, adrenal disease
– If >2wks. steroids in past year, give stress dose steroids (HC
100mg IV q8H)
• ID: cancel elective surgery when acute infectious
illness present
• Renal: creatinine > 2.0mg/dl associated with increased
risk
• Neurologic: cerebrovascular disease associated with
increased risk
Data gathered thus far
Clinical risk factors = Revised Cardiac Risk Index (which also includes high-
risk surgery)
Surgery Specific Risk
Surgical Risk
• Overall perioperative mortality: 0.3%
• Cardiac etiologies most common cause of
death
– POD#3 most common day for perioperative MI
• Pulmonary etiologies most common cause of
complications
– Extubation is time of risk for flare of reactive
airways
Of the operations listed, which one has the
lowest operative risk?
A. Simple mastectomy
B. Prostatectomy
C. Carotid endarterectomy
D. Total knee replacement
Low Risk Surgery
(<1% risk MI/death)
• Endoscopic procedures
• Superficial procedures
• Cataract surgery
• Breast surgery
• Ambulatory surgery
Intermediate and high-risk surgery
• Carotid endarterectomy
• Endovascular AAA repair
• Head and neck surgery
• Intraperitoneal/intrathoracic surgery
• Orthopedic surgery
• Prostate surgery
• Aortic/major vascular surgery
• Peripheral vascular surgery
Functional assessment
A 73-year-old woman is to undergo left TKR for DJD.
PMH: HTN
Meds: HCTZ
She has been limited in physical activity because of her knee,
but she can walk up 1 flight of stairs without difficulty. How
many metabolic equivalents (METs) is she demonstrating?
A. 0 METs
B. 1 MET
C. 4 METs
D. 10 METs
Functional Assessment
• ACC/AHA: poor exercise tolerance is the
inability to perform 4 METs of activity
without symptoms
64M preop. for AAA repair.
PMH: HTN, DM, CKD, prior CVA, tobacco use.
Meds: lisinopril, HCTZ, atorvastatin and metformin.
ROS: Walks 3 flights of stairs regularly
Physical examination: Normal.
The surgeon requests an EKG and blood work, which
are baseline. Of the options listed, correct
management at this point would be:
A. Add metoprolol
B. Obtain a dobutamine echocardiogram
C. Both A and B
D. Proceed with surgery with no changes
Perioperative beta blockers
• Proven to reduce risk of perioperative MI in
certain populations
• Also increases risk of death and stroke in
other populations
• If used, long-acting beta blockers
preferable over short-acting
Perioperative beta blockers
• Continue if already on them
• Consider starting them if 3 or more Revised
Cardiac Risk Index factors
• Consider if intermediate or high-risk
preoperative testing seen
• Start at least 1 day preoperatively; no proven
value in titrating to HR<60
Putting it all together
What we know so far:
Management in other scenarios
• NSQIP:
– Multicenter study of >200,000 patients at >250
hospitals
– Clinical outcomes tracked and compared with
clinical risk factors and operative procedure
– Better predictor of perioperative risk than the
RCRI
– Variables included type or surgery, functional
status, abnormal creatinine, ASA class, age
NSQIP-guided management
• If surgical risk <1%, proceed with surgery
• If surgical risk >1% and functional status <4
METS, obtain pharmacologic stress if it
would affect management
73F preop for mastectomy for breast cancer.
PMH: HTN, DM
Meds: Lisinopril, HCTZ, insulin, aspirin
She lives on a 1-level apartment, and cooks for herself
without any dyspnea. The surgeon has already
obtained blood work. Of the options listed,
appropriate management at this point would be:
A. Obtain dobutamine echocardiogram
B. Add metoprolol prior to surgery
C. Both A and B
D. Proceed with surgery
44M preoperative for bunion surgery.
PMH: Dilated cardiomyopathy from viral myocarditis
three years ago.
Meds: lisinopril and furosemide.
PE: BP 118/68; P66.
You note bibasilar rales and mild pedal edema, and
the patient admits he's been a little bit more dyspneic
recently, and a little less compliant with salt
restriction. Appropriate management at this point
would be:
A. Double his furosemide and proceed with surgery
B. Add metoprolol then proceed with surgery
C. Both A and B
D. Postpone surgery
57M preop for total knee replacement surgery.
PMH: heavy smoker, hypertension, diabetes and chronic kidney
disease
Meds: Lisinopril, HCTZ, insulin, rosuvastatin, aspirin
ROS: He is sedentary, lives on a single floor in an elevator
building, but is compliant with his medications.
Data: A1C 6.5%; creatinine 2.6mg/dl. CXR and EKG done in
anticipation of surgery are normal.
After instructing the patient about medication adjustments, the next
step in preparing this patient for surgery should be:
A. Add metoprolol and proceed with surgery
B. Assess perioperative risk with risk calculator
C. Obtain dobutamine echocardiogram
D. Proceed with surgery