ABSTRACT
The peak left ventricular stroke work index developed in response to rapid volume infusion was calculated in 34 patients undergoing either aorto-iliac or peripheral vascular surgery. The average preoperative maximum stroke work index in patients recovering without cardiac complication was 0.47 (+/- 0.2) J/m2 compared with a mean value of 0.28 (+/- 0.14) J/m2 in patients with perioperative cardiac complications. This difference was significant (P less than 0.01). Clinical cardiac risk analysis identified a group of high risk patients in which more than half developed cardiac complications and a low risk group in which no cardiac complications were observed. There was a significant difference in maximum stroke work indices in these two groups.
