Peter Hlivák
Cardiac arrhythmias are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the perioperative period. Perioperative bra
dyarrhythmias usually respond well to short-term pharmacological therapy; temporary cardiac pacing is rarely required.
Supraventricular arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation are more common than ventricular arrhythmias in the perioperative
period. The strategy in managing perioperative AF is usually focused on rate control. Pre-operative detection
of ventricular arrhythmias should lead to evaluation for the presence or absence of underlying structural heart disease.
In general, anti-arrhythmic drugs are not recommended for patients with ventricular premature beats. Patients presenting
with sustained ventricular tachycardia should be treated according to symptoms and tolerance of the arrhythmia.
The purpose of this review is to descibe practical perioperative management of patients with arrhythmias during
non-cardiac surgery in light of recent european guidelines.