Postoperative myocardial infarction

Abstract

A significant number of noncardiac surgical patients are at risk for postoperative myocardial infarction (PMI). PMI leads to significant mortality and morbidity and increases the health-care costs. Better understanding of perioperative surgical and patient risk factors causing PMI, understanding the disease process and presentation of PMI, newer treatment strategies, and perioperative use of beta-blockers and statins have significantly decreased the incidence of nonfatal PMI. Risk stratification, perioperative optimization of at-risk patients, and treatment of PMI are challenging and may not be the same as other myocardial infarctions.