[Preoperative stress testing in patients prior to vascular surgery]

Myocardial infarction is the leading cause of mortality during peripheral artery surgery. The review summarizes the data on cardiac event risk stratification in angiosurgical patients by preoperative stress testing. The prognostic value of positive and negative results is described. Stress testing with physical activity or pharmacological agents is rarely indicated in patients at low risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. Stress testing may be used in patients at increased risk of myocardial infarction (functional activity less than <4 metabolic equivalents), and if the test results should change the approaches to perioperative therapy, anesthesia or the volume of surgical intervention and, in rare situations, to perform coronary revascularization.