Which type of surgery requires careful preoperative cardiac risk assessment?

High-risk surgeries necessitate careful preoperative cardiac risk assessment due to the significant potential for cardiac complications associated with these procedures. Patients undergoing high-risk surgeries are often older or have underlying medical conditions that can increase the likelihood of perioperative adverse events, such as myocardial infarction or heart failure.

The assessment involves evaluating the patient's cardiac history, physical examination findings, and potentially employing additional tests like EKG or cardiac stress testing. This thorough evaluation helps in stratifying the patient’s risk and determining the most appropriate management strategies to minimize complications.

In contrast, minor outpatient procedures and low-risk surgeries typically do not carry as significant cardiac risks, thereby requiring less intensive cardiac assessment. Cataract surgeries, classified as low-risk, are performed under local anesthesia and generally have a very low incidence of serious cardiac events, further reducing the need for extensive preoperative cardiac evaluation.