ACC/AHA Guideline Update for Perioperative Cardiovascular Evaluation for Noncardiac Surgery

committee has been formed to update the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 2002 Guidelines on Perioperative Cardiovascular Evaluation for Noncardiac Surgery. The 10-member committee, consisting of representatives from organizations such as the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, the Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology, the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists and the American Society of Echocardiography, is charged with revising certain sections of the guidelines for 2005.

The revision will focus on specific areas, including implanted pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators, rationale for surgical coronary revascularization and summary of evidence, perioperative medical therapy and surveillance for perioperative myocardial infarction.

One of the committee’s goals is to fast-track the section on beta-blockers to provide synchronicity with the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Surgical Care Improvement Project. The committee, which consists of anesthesiologists, cardiologists, internists and surgeons, reflects the diversity of interest within these areas.

Chaired by Lee A. Fleisher, M.D., Robert D. Dripps Professor and Chair of the department of anesthesiology and critical care at the University of Pennsylvania, this is the first time any AHA/ACC Guidelines Committee has been chaired by a noncardiologist. He is currently a member of the ASA Committee on Practice Parameters.

The guidelines have previously gone through two editions, the original and one update, with both committees chaired by Kim Eagle, M.D. The guidelines are endorsed by the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists and the Society for Vascular Surgery, among others.