Identificación de pacientes de riesgo. Criterios de elegibilidad

Postoperative right ventricular failure after cardiac surgery is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Cardiopulmonary bypass, mitral valve replacement, implantation of a left ventricular assist device and heart transplantation are all important precipitating factors for right ventricular failure, especially in particular patient groups. The ability to identify those groups would enable physicians to select the best therapy and to implement treatment that could reduce risk. This article discusses high-risk subgroups, the tools used to identify them, underlying pathophysiology and patient prognosis.