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…

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Editor's Note A new global clinical trial indicates targeting higher blood pressure during non-cardiac surgeries is no better than current standard approach in preventing acute kidney injury, according to a November 5 report from London Health Sciences Centre. With 300 million non-cardiac surgeries performed worldwide every year, risk of kidney…

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Editor's Note Joint guidance from key US medical associations advises that most patients on GLP-1 weight-loss medications, such as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro), may safely continue these drugs before surgery, HealthDay News reported October 31. Concerns had emerged about potential risks associated with these medications due to their…

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Editor's Note Research presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) annual meeting has found that beta-blocker use is associated with an increased risk of postoperative stroke, particularly among Black and Hispanic patients undergoing noncardiac surgeries, Medpage Today reported October 20. According to the article, the retrospective study analyzed the…

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Editor's Note Music-based interventions administered preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively can significantly reduce postoperative opioid use and improve mood in patients undergoing same-day surgeries, according to research published October 15 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. The single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial evaluated 75 patients aged 18 to 80 who received…

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Editor's Note When it comes to the 2024 presidential election, “Neither candidate addresses a return to the fundamental tenet of healthcare: the patient-physician relationship,” reads the closing line of an “election guide” from Richard Menger MD MPA. In the preceding paragraph, Menger also argues that both candidates also neglect issues…

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Editor's Note Research shows repeated fasting for multiple surgeries during a single hospital stay significantly raises the risk of protein-calorie malnutrition, leading to longer recovery times, increased healthcare costs, and a higher likelihood of death. HealthDay covered the news October 21. Presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meeting,…

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Editor's Note Although women are underrepresented in high-compensation medical specialties, new research shows a significant increase in female applicants and matriculants to surgical specialties specifically. Published September 30 in JAMA Network, the study found that the proportion of women entering high-compensation surgical specialties rose from 28.8% to 42.4%. In contrast,…

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Editor's Note Individuals with preoperative depression are at significantly higher risk of developing postoperative delirium, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 studies involving a total of 4.6 million patients. Published September 4 in Anaesthesia, the study is first review to quantify the incidence and risk of postoperative…

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Editor's Note Female patients undergoing high-risk surgeries are significantly more likely to die from postoperative complications despite experiencing complications at similar rates, according to findings published October 16 in JAMA. Observed in a cohort of 863,305 Medicare beneficiaries, this disparity suggests that clinicians may be less effective at recognizing and…

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