Myocardial Protection: What the Anesthesiologist Does

The role of the anesthesiologist in myocardial protection is to optimize myocardial oxygen balance during the perioperative period. Nonpharmacological steps that can be taken to achieve this revolve around maintaining a satisfactory hemoglobin concentration and oxyhemoglobin saturation through maximizing ventilation. In addition, alkalosis and hypothermia should be prevented since they cause a left shift of the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve, thus interfering with tissue oxygen delivery. Hypocarbia increases coronary vascular resistance. Blood volume must be adequate with an optimal hemoglobin concentration. Pharmacological measures should also be used, and it is important to continue through the perioperative period any previously administered cardioactive drugs. Furthermore, in the prebypass period, tachycardia may not be controlled by anesthetics; unless the tachycardia is paroxysmal, beta blockers are the drugs of choice. Depending on the cause, diastolic hypotension also needs to be treated either with volume, vasoconstrictors, or inotropes. Likewise, major hypertension can produce increased demand and, again depending on the cause, either anesthetics, vasodilators, beta blockers, or calcium blockers may be useful. Finally, myocardial ischemia without obvious cause probably should be treated with nitroglycerin or calcium blockers. During surgery, the effect of the anesthetic drugs on myocardial oxygen balance is important.