Pre-operative Risk For Myocardial Infarction
The best risk factor for estimating pre-operatively the risk for a myocardial infarction (MI or heart attack) is the occurence of a myocardial infarction in the previous 6 months.
Truly elective surgery should be delayed at least six months after a previous MI.
Although the phrase “cardiology cleared the patient for surgery” is often used, there is no such thing as “cardiac clearance.” More accurately, clinicians and patients should refer to a risk stratification for the patient.