Impact of Preoperative Echocardiogram Screening on Intraoperative Cardiac Events in Patients in Rural Appalachia

In the United States alone, an estimated 1 in 9 persons is reported to have undergone at least one surgical procedure in the past year.1 A major consideration among both primary care physicians and surgeons is how to best stratify patients into low, medium, and high risk categories for adverse surgical outcomes. One of the major risks considered is adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCEs). According to the 2024 AHA Guideline for Perioperative Cardiovascular Management for Noncardiac Surgery, physicians should consider such factors as the type of surgery being performed, the use of anesthesia, patient comorbidities, patient functional status, and prior cardiac events when considering the likelihood of MACCEs.