ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Valvular heart diseases are accompanied by burdening of the right or left ventricle or atrium with volume or pressure overload, often followed by hemodynamic alterations. The impact of the hemodynamic changes can eventually lead to cardiac muscle dysfunction, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and sudden death. The cardiovascular consequences of valvular heart diseases may be aggravated in patients who have to undergo general or regional anesthesia. The perioperative management of patients with valvular heart diseases in noncardiac surgery, therefore, requires a profound understanding of the changes in the cardiovascular system. Accurate preoperative evaluation of the hemodynamic situation may minimize the patient’s perioperative morbidity. The following chapter summarizes the specific anesthetic considerations in patients with valvular heart disease undergoing noncardiac surgery.
