Pulmonary Risk Assessment and Optimization

Publication date: Available online 12 February 2016 Source:Hospital Medicine Clinics Author(s): Kurt J. Pfeifer, Gerald W. SmetanaTeaser Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), such as pneumonia and respiratory failure, are common and are associated with increased mortality. Several patient-specific and procedure-specific risk factors for PPCs have been elucidated and allow identification of patients who may benefit from risk reduction interventions. Pulmonary risk may be mitigated using several strategies, including lung-protective ventilation, regional or neuraxial anesthesia, smoking cessation, and lung expansion maneuvers. Obstructive sleep apnea is an emerging source of perioperative pulmonary risk and requires focused screening for identification of patients who may require additional interventions to prevent PPCs.
Source: Hospital Medicine Clinics - Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: research