ABSTRACT
Patients with diabetes are more likely to require surgery than the general population throughout their lifetime. This is true because of the accelerated macrovascu- lar disease they have, and that patients with diabetes are living longer lives. Specifically, they may have to undergo vascular surgery at some time in their life. There is an increased frequency of coronary artery bypass grafts, peripheral vascular disease surgery, amputations, and carotid artery bypass surgery in the diabetic population. Renal transplantation surgery is also increased because of end-stage diabetic nephropathy. Diabetes by itself is not a risk factor for postoperative morbidity and mortality when adjusted for other comorbidities that occur more frequently in diabetes, such as atherosclerosis.
