Dental management of the patient with ischemic heart disease: an update.

Ischemic heart disease is the most common cause of death in developed countries. The classical protocols for providing dental care in these patients with chest angina or myocardial infarction were based on the classification of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), postponing therapy for a minimum of 6 months after infarction in order to ensure safer dental treatment. However, advances in diagnostic techniques and medical and surgical treatments in patients with heart disease have led to the development of more precise risk assessment protocols, thus allowing earlier post-infarction dental treatments and oral surgery, with acceptable safety margins.