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 morta lity 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 ec hocardiography (DSE) to common, clinical cardiac risk factors and other non invasive cardiac imaging modalities for perioperative and late cardiac prog nosis. Results: DSE provides the attending physician with preoperative prog nostic information for perioperative and long-term prognosis for cardiac ev ents. It also enables the selection of high risk patients for evaluation of cardiac risk reduction therapies. Conclusions: DSE is a useful tool for pr eoperative cardiac risk evaluation in addition to common clinical cardiac r isk factors.