Study: Delaying elective surgery after myocardial infarction reduces complications in older patients

Editor's Note

Older adults face a significantly higher risk of complications including stroke and recurrent heart attacks if they undergo elective noncardiac surgeries soon after myocardial infarction, according to a University of Rochester study published October 30 in JAMA Surgery. 

According to a University announcement, current guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association advising a 60-day waiting period are outdated and should be updated. Based on analysis of 5.2 million Medicare surgeries from 2017 to 2020, the researchers suggest that waiting three to six months after a non-ST-segmented elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) reduces complication risks.

Specifically, the study found that risk levels decline steadily within the first 90 days after a heart attack and stabilize over the next six months. This finding supports delaying surgeries to improve outcomes in aging patients who often present with complex health conditions, researchers write. Overall, the results can help perioperative teams better balance surgical risks with patients' quality of life expectations.