Preoperative Cardiac Intervention
Abstract Patients with a coronary stent, particularly a drug-eluting stent, are treated for 6 to 12 months with dual antiplatelet therapy. Premature discontinuation of the GIIa/IIIb inhibitor can lead to…
ANESTHESIA
Preanesthetic Evaluation: False-Positive Tests
Abstract While preoperative testing can provide clinicians with important information into a patient’s suitability for a procedure, there are instances where the tests can inaccurately deliver information depending on the…
Preanesthetic Evaluation: Inadequate or Missing Test Result
Abstract For any anesthetic, the anesthesiologist must consider the patient’s medical history while assessing the likelihood that the anesthetic and procedure may lead to a detrimental outcome. Although costly, anesthesiologists…
Porphyrias
Abstract Porphyria is a rare inherited metabolic disorder that results from mutations in the genes coding for the enzymes involved in heme biosynthesis. Deficiency of these enzymes leads to a…
Perioperative Management of Patients With Muscular Dystrophy
Abstract Muscular dystrophies are a genetically and clinically diverse group of hereditary disorders of the structure of skeletal and cardiac muscle. Abnormal striated muscle and myocardial damage with associated cardiomyopathy…
Patients With Seizure Disorder
Abstract Epilepsy is a neurologic disease with a yearly incidence of 0.5% to 2.3%, with up to 40% of patients developing intractable disease. Seizures can manifest as either partial seizures…
Patients With a Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Undergoing Surgery
Abstract Patients with a cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) routinely undergo surgery, and the perioperative management of these patients is complex and challenging. The presence of one of these devices…
Myasthenic Disorders
Abstract Myasthenic syndromes encompass a group of neuromuscular disorders that are characterized by weakness and fatigability but also vary in clinical presentations and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Myasthenic disorders may…
Mechanical Assist Devices
Abstract Mechanical circulatory assist devices are used to support the failing heart. They range in complexity from the intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) to highly sophisticated second- and third-generation ventricular assist…
Patient Confidentiality
Abstract Respect for patient privacy is a pillar of the doctor-patient relationship, and laws codify the duties of doctors to maintain confidentiality with regard to patient interactions. On the other…
