Noncardiac surgery in the patient with heart disease.

Optimal care of the patient with heart disease undergoing noncardiac surgery requires that the members of the surgical team, including anesthesiologist, internist-cardiologist, and surgeon, be familiar with the cardiovascular response to surgery, preoperative cardiac risk stratification, and the unique pathogenesis of cardiac complications that may occur in the perioperative period. Preoperative evaluation and computation of cardiac risk, anesthetic considerations, along with perioperative care of the patient with ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias and conduction disorders, and hypertension is discussed.