What is the goal of the ACC/AHA preoperative cardiac assessment?

The primary goal of the ACC/AHA preoperative cardiac assessment is to identify patients at risk for cardiac complications during surgery. This process involves evaluating various factors such as the patient's clinical history, functional capacity, and existing comorbidities that may predispose them to perioperative cardiac events. By identifying these high-risk patients, healthcare providers can develop a tailored perioperative plan that may include further cardiac evaluations, optimizing medical therapy, or implementing specific monitoring strategies during surgery to mitigate the risk of complications.

Understanding the patient's cardiac risk is critical in the preoperative setting, as it enables the surgical and anesthetic teams to take appropriate measures to enhance patient safety and outcomes. This includes making informed decisions regarding the choice of anesthetic technique and the need for postoperative monitoring or interventions based on the patient's cardiovascular status.