European Society of Cardiology Quality Indicators for the Cardiovascular Preoperative Assessment and Management of patients considered for non-cardiac surgery. Developed in collaboration with the European Society of Anaesthesiology & Intensive Care.

Abstract

AIMS

To establish a set of quality indicators (QIs) for the cardiovascular (CV) assessment and management of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Quality Indicator Committee of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Society of Anaesthesiology & Intensive Care (ESAIC) in collaboration with Task Force members of the 2022 ESC Guidelines on CV assessment and management of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery followed the ESC methodology for QI development. This included 1) identification, by constructing a conceptual framework of care, of domains of the CV assessment and management of patients with risk factors or established cardiovascular disease (CVD) who are considered for or undergoing non-cardiac surgery, 2) development of candidate QIs following a systematic literature review, 3) selection of the final set of QIs using a modified Delphi method, 4) evaluation of the feasibility of the developed QIs. In total, eight main and nine secondary QIs were selected across six domains: 1) Structural framework (written policy), 2) Patient education and quality of life (CV risk discussion), 3) Peri-operative risk assessment (indication for diagnostic tests), 4) Peri-operative risk mitigation (use of hospital therapies), 5) Follow-up (post-discharge assessment) and 6) Outcomes (major CV events).

CONCLUSION

We present the 2022 ESC/ESAIC QIs for the CV assessment and management of patients with risk factors or established CVD who are considered for or are undergoing non-cardiac surgery. These indicators are supported by evidence from the literature, underpinned by expert consensus and align with 2022 ESC Guidelines on CV assessment and management of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.