Perioperative Beta-Blocker Therapy for Noncardiac Surgery

A focused guideline update from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association

Sponsoring Organizations: American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology

Purpose: In noncardiac surgery, perioperative beta-blocker therapy has been identified recently as an important quality measure of evidence-based care. Given this development, the ACC and AHA expedited revision of the beta-blocker section of their 2002 guidelines on perioperative evaluation for noncardiac surgery (Journal Watch Cardiology Mar 22 2002).

Key Points:

1. The guidelines now give a class I (top-level) recommendation for continuing beta-blockers in noncardiac-surgery patients who are currently taking them for any ACC/AHA class I indication (e.g., heart failure), rather than just for angina, symptomatic arrhythmias, or hypertension. There remains a…

Reviewing Author

Hugh Calkins, MD