British journal of anaesthesia
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Expiratory muscle action is prominent during anaesthesia and can impair lung function. This activity is exaggerated by the use of opioids. Airway pressure during occlusion of expiration would be a valuable measure in the study of expiratory muscle activation. However, this would only be valid if the imposed occlusion did not itself alter muscle activation. This possibility can be checked by directly assessing muscle activity by electromyography; varying arterial carbon dioxide tensions and opioid action should be considered. ⋯ In these conditions, except for a change in inspiratory duration, respiratory muscle activity is unaffected by airway occlusion. Airway occlusion will permit valid measures of muscle activity in inspiration and expiration and provide simple measurements of respiratory muscle function during anaesthesia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Impact of preoperative maintenance or interruption of aspirin on thrombotic and bleeding events after elective non-cardiac surgery: the multicentre, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, STRATAGEM trial.
Patients receiving anti-platelet agents for secondary cardiovascular prevention frequently require non-cardiac surgery. A substantial proportion of these patients have their anti-platelet drug discontinued before operation; however, there is uncertainty about the impact of this practice. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of maintenance or interruption of aspirin before surgery, in terms of major thrombotic and bleeding events. ⋯ In these at-risk patients undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery, we did not find any difference in terms of occurrence of major thrombotic or bleeding events between preoperative maintenance or interruption of aspirin.
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The cardiology literature has suggested for decades that β-blockade protects patients with ischaemic heart disease. Extending this concept to perioperative patients initially produced promising results, with reductions in perioperative myocardial ischaemia and longer-term cardiovascular complications observed in several small randomized trials. However, subsequent larger trials have either shown no benefit or greater morbidity (especially stroke), despite reductions in cardiovascular events. ⋯ Speciality societies, most importantly, the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation, have promulgated guidelines for perioperative β-blockade, which have been revised, as the evidence has changed. While the European guidelines continue to emphasize perioperative β-blockade in high-risk patients, the American guidelines have reduced the strength and breadth of recommendations, focusing on haemodynamic titration. Future work will need to focus on identifying populations most likely to benefit or to be harmed, including pharmacogenetic analyses and distinctions between individual β-blockers.