β-Blocker Plus Statin Cut Perioperative Events

Until results from DECREASE-IV are available, Dr. Poldermans and his associates maintain all surgery patients on a statin if they are already taking one preoperatively, and they start statin treatment in high-risk patients. The main potential downside of perioperative statin treatment is that patients can develop myopathy or rhabdomyolysis and not recognize new-onset muscle pain to help diagnose these adverse effects.

Perioperative Event Risk Factors

▸ Age 70 years or older

▸ Current angina

▸ History of myocardial infarction

▸ History of heart failure

▸ History of cerebrovascular accident

▸ Current diabetes

▸ Current renal failure

Source: Dr. Poldermans