CARDIAC RISK ASSESSMENT USING RCRI IN SURGICAL PATIENTS

Background and aims: Preanesthetic assessment is an inseparable part of every anesthesiologist practice. There are some tools and tests to anticipate the possible risks and prepare an appropriate anesthesia plan and latest guidelines encourage using them by system. The aim of this study was to investigate preanesthetic evaluation of cardiac risk possibilities based on the patient’s labo­ratory and instrumental tests available on a day of hos­pitalization and applying Revised Cardiac Risk Index. Materials and Methods: Research was conducted from June 2021 to September 2021 and data was collected from the depersonalized medical documentation of 117 patients, for whom elective surgery was planned in the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics (LUHS), Department of Surgery. The gathered data include sex, age, comorbidities, opera­tion type, ASA score, revised cardiac risk index (RCRI) and both laboratory and instrumental tests. These tests involve general and biochemical blood tests, coagu­lation panels, electrocardiograms (ECG) and others. Results: The study involved 117 patients: 27.4% men and 72.6% women. The analysis of available preopera­tive laboratory and instrumental tests showed that only 67 patients (57%) had their ECG on a day when opera­tion was scheduled, 64% of them had general and 62% had biochemical blood tests. The most important fin­ding in our research was that 72% of patients who were at increased cardiac risk according to RCRI (2 or more points) had ECG when they came for surgical treatment. Conclusion: Majority of the patients with a higher car­diac risk according to RCRI score present ECG for their preanesthetic evaluation. No significant associations were found between patients ASA, RCRI scores, and preope­rative tests.