In this part 1 of 2 episodes, Chris and Mars break down the essentials of optimizing patients for surgery, focusing on cardiac risk assessment and perioperative management.

We’ll cover: ✅ The Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) – your go-to tool for identifying high-risk patients. ✅ How to evaluate functional capacity with METs. ✅ Perioperative management of Pacemakers and ICDs. ✅ The “don’t miss” triad of Severe Aortic Stenosis and when to postpone surgery. ✅ Why Pulmonary Hypertension increases surgical risk. ✅ Timing surgery after a recent MI and how to manage patients with CABG or stents. ✅ High-yield pearls on continuing beta-blockers, holding ACE inhibitors/ARBs, and the role of statins in surgical patients. Be sure to stick around for Part 2!