ANZ journal of surgery
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ANZ journal of surgery · Aug 2003
Preoperative cardiac assessment for patients with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms: a survey of current practice by vascular surgeons in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory.
The reported mortality rate following open elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) varies between 0 and 12%. Much of the mortality and major morbidity is caused by cardiac events. The evidence regarding best practice for cardiac assessment and optimization of this patient group is unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate current practice of cardiac risk factor assessment by vascular surgeons in New South Wales (NSW) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) for patients undergoing open elective repair of infrarenal AAA. ⋯ Preoperative assessment of cardiac risk in patients for repair of AAA lacks consensus among vascular surgeons in NSW and ACT. The diversity of clinical practice may rest with the paucity of prospective trials published in the medical literature or the influence of local institutional facilities.