PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Coronary artery event includes acute coronary syndrome (ACS), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Following such an event, risk of noncardiac surgery is increased. Of major concern is what can make this surgery safer?

RECENT FINDINGS: High functional capacity improves cardiovascular (CV) risk; at least 4.0 metabolic equivalents (METs) on stress test are favorable. Risk scores can suggest need for further evaluation. Coronary angiography prior to surgery usually is not indicated since revascularization shows disappointing CV risk reduction results. Due to high association of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) with coronary artery disease (CAD), low ankle-brachial index (ABI) indicates increased CV risk. New perioperative beta blockade has shown disappointing benefit, but if ongoing should be continued. De novo perioperative beta blockade is for the highest CV risk patient undergoing noncardiac vascular surgery. Good evidence supports CV risk reduction from new or existing statin in the perioperative period, especially for the diabetic. Diabetics should also be on an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) secondarily, during the perioperative period to decrease 30-day perioperative mortality. Optimal timing of elective noncardiac surgery following a coronary artery event appears to be 180 days with CV risk decreased by a statin and an ACEI or an ARB.