Statins and noncardiac surgery: Current evidence and practical considerations

ABSTRACT

Vascular surgery is associated with a high risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality that is partly attributable to inflammatory stress induced by the surgical procedure. Preoperative initiation of a long-acting statin is a strategy intended to reduce the inflammatory stress response and the excess risk associated with vascular surgery. The Dutch Echocardiographic Cardiac Risk Evaluation Applying Stress Echo III demonstrated significant reductions in perioperative myocardial ischemia and the composite end point of myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death with extended-release fluvastatin (relative to placebo) initiated 30 days prior to vascular surgery. These benefits were achieved with no increase in liver dysfunction, evidence of myopathy, or other side effects. Observational data suggest that perioperative statin use is associated with improved recovery from acute kidney injury after high-risk vascular surgery and with improved long-term survival in patients undergoing such surgery.