Elevated HbA1c levels prior to open heart surgery are associated with increased post-operative morbidities including wound infection, cardiovascular events, and renal failure.
Do elevated HbA1c levels increase mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing open heart surgery?
Elevated HbA1c prior to cardiac surgery is associated with higher postoperative morbidity, highlighting the potential importance of preoperative glycemic assessment.
There remains a significant paucity of information evaluating the effect of glycated HbA1c levels and its theorized effect on mortality and morbidity rates following cardiac surgery. Diabetes is a very common comorbidity in patients undergoing open heart surgery, as there is a shift in patient characteristics and greater risk. Currently, there is no clear consensus that an increase in HbA1c level is associated with increased perioperative mortality rate. However, the reported literature is more commonly able to demonstrate that elevated HbA1c levels is associated with increased rates of wound infection, cardiovascular events and renal failure, and thus, higher post-operative morbidities. This review aims to examine and synthesis the evidence behind each of the morbidities and mortalities associated with open heart surgery and the impact of high HbA1c on the reported outcomes.
Ansari et al. (Tue,) conducted a review in Cardiac surgery. Elevated HbA1c levels was evaluated on Mortality and morbidity rates (wound infection, cardiovascular events, and renal failure). Elevated HbA1c levels prior to open heart surgery are associated with increased post-operative morbidities including wound infection, cardiovascular events, and renal failure.