Cardiac complications and mortality rates in diabetic patients following non-cardiac surgery in an Australian teaching hospital

This retrospective study of diabetic patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery has identified that a greater number of patients are at risk of cardiac complications and death in the perioperative period than had previously been suggested. As well as insulin-dependent diabetic patients and patients with elevated creatinine (>178 μmol/l) as previously found, our study suggests that non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients and patients with creatinine >120 μmol/l are also at increased risk of cardiac complications and death following non-cardiac surgery. This increases by a factor of six those diabetic patients at risk of perioperative complications from non-cardiac surgery and also increases the number of patients with renal failure similarly at risk. The study confirms similar risks of cardiac complications and death to other recently published data and suggests ongoing comparisons will contribute to quality assurance activities in anaesthesia and surgery. Copyright © 2009 Australian Society of Anaesthetists.