Journal of vascular surgery
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Comparative Study
Comparative early and late cardiac morbidity among patients requiring different vascular surgery procedures.
The evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients undergoing vascular surgery can provide information with respect to perioperative and long-term risk for CAD-related events. However, the extent to which the required surgical procedure itself imparts additional risk beyond that dictated by the presence of CAD determinants remains in question. The purpose of this study was to quantify the relative contributions of specific vascular procedures and CAD markers on perioperative and long-term cardiac risk. ⋯ In current practice, among patients referred for dipyridamole testing before operation, observed differences in cardiac risk of vascular surgery procedures may be primarily attributable to readily identifiable CAD risk factors rather than to the specific type of vascular surgery. Thus the cardiac and diabetic status of patients should be given careful consideration whenever possible, regardless of surgical procedure to be performed.