6 Nov 2023 • Patients who maintained their renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitor medications before non-cardiac surgery were found to have a lower risk of myocardial injury, a common complication in peri-operative settings, as per recent research.

Haemodynamic instability is associated with peri-operative myocardial injury, particularly in patients receiving renin–angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors (angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers). Whether stopping RAS inhibitors to minimise hypotension, or continuing RAS inhibitors to avoid hypertension, reduces peri-operative myocardial injury has always remained unclear.

The research published in the European Heart Journal also uncovered that stopping RAS inhibitors before surgery might increase the likelihood of acute hypertension. Hypotension rates were similar when RAS inhibitors were stopped or continued.

Source: European Heart Journal | Read full story