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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease
07:27

Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease

Published on: July 18, 2014

[The patient with cardiac disease]

Jørn Wetterslev1, Lene Holmvang

  • 1H:S Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen Trial Unit, Center for Klinisk Interventionsforskning, København Ø. wetterslev@ctu.rh.dk

Ugeskrift for Laeger
|December 14, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac patients face higher risks during surgery due to limited compensatory capacity. Optimizing heart disease treatment before surgery is crucial to reduce serious cardiac events and mortality.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Perioperative Medicine
  • Anesthesiology

Context:

  • Cardiac patients have reduced physiological reserve, increasing risks from surgical stressors like bleeding, pain, and infection.
  • Serious postoperative cardiac events lead to significant mortality (1400 deaths/year in Denmark).
  • Perioperative myocardial infarction increases 6-month mortality sixfold.

Purpose:

  • To summarize evidence-based preoperative risk assessment strategies for cardiac patients.
  • To outline optimized perioperative patient care guidelines for those with heart disease and hypertension.
  • To improve outcomes and reduce mortality associated with cardiac complications during and after surgery.

Summary:

  • Cardiac patients exhibit diminished compensatory capacity, heightening the risk of perioperative cardiac complications.
  • Preoperative optimization of cardiac disease and hypertension management is essential.
  • Implementing evidence-based risk assessment and perioperative care can mitigate adverse cardiac events.

Impact:

  • Reduced incidence of serious postoperative cardiac events.
  • Lower perioperative mortality rates in cardiac patients.
  • Improved patient outcomes through targeted risk management and optimized care pathways.

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