Researchers from The Netherlands found that asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction was a significant predictor of 30-day cardiovascular events following surgery, indicating a need to diagnose the condition preoperatively and to better manage it around the time of surgery, according to a report from the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
The study, published in the journal Anesthesiology, found that in a group of 1,005 vascular surgery patients, symptomatic and asymptomatic LV dysfunction was associated with cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular-related death 30 days following surgery.
Researchers recommended evaluation for all possible cardiovascular risk factors in high risk surgery patients and recommended perioperative therapy such as beta-blockers to improve outcomes.
Read the ASA's release about cardiovascular risk in surgery.