Elektive nicht kardiochirurgische Operationen bei Patienten mit kardialer Grunderkrankung

The perioperative risk of a cardiac complication is primarily determined by the patient's preoperative constitution, any existing comorbidities as well as the extent and the duration of the intended surgery. Consequently, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) endorsed by the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) published guidelines in 2009 aiming at improving perioperative cardiac risk assessment and perioperative treatment as well as the postoperative outcome. In line with these objectives the guidelines mainly focus on two areas: the preoperative risk assessment based on the patients' comorbidities and the anticipated severity of the intended surgery itself and secondly on the perioperative management derived from the outcome of the previous risk assessment. On the basis of these guidelines this article gives a brief overview on the subject focusing on existing cardiac comorbidities and perioperative cardiac management.