Role of dobutamine stress echocardiography for preoperative cardiac risk assessment before major vascular surgery: a diagnostic tool comes of age

BACKGROUND: Cardiac complications are a major cause for perioperative mortality and morbidity. Also, the presence and severity of underlying coronary artery disease (CAD) determine long-term prognosis after successful surgery. AIM: This overview evaluates the additional value of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) to common clinical cardiac risk factors and other noninvasive cardiac imaging modalities for perioperative and late cardiac prognosis. RESULTS: DSE provides theattending physician with preoperative prognostic information for perioperative and long-term prognosis for cardiac events. It also enables the selection of high risk patients for evaluation of cardiac risk reduction therapies. CONCLUSIONS: DSE is a useful tool for preoperative cardiac risk evaluation in addition to common clinical cardiac risk factors.