[Anesthetic considerations in patients with CAD (author's transl)]

The primary aim during anesthetic management of the patient with coronary artery disease is prevention of imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand. Since oxygen supply is limited by restriction of coronary blood flow, prevention of increases in demand plus maintenance of supply, rather than increases in supply, will achieve this aim. The major determinants of myocardial oxygen demand are mechanical, i.e. (a) left ventricular wall tension, dependent in turn upon systolic pressure and ventricular volumn, (b) velocity of contraction, and (c) heart rate. Systolic pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and heart rate monitoring will alert the anesthetist to increases associated with an enhanced oxygen demand. Decreased arterial diastolic and increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure are associated with decreased supply. By appropriate manipulation of these variables and avoidance of episodes of myocardial ischemia, the perioperative morbidity and mortality rates associated with coronary artery disease may be decreased.