Supine exercise capacity identifies patients at low risk for perioperative cardiovascular events and predicts long-term survival

Of the 570,000 patients who undergo vascular surgical procedures annually in the United States, 5% to 40% develop perioperative cardiac complications (1– 4). Although preoperative exercise testing can predict intraoperative cardiovascular events, the association between preoperative testing and long-term outcomes is less clear. We sought to determine the value of preoperative exercise testing with a supine bicycle in predicting perioperative cardiovascular events and longterm outcomes in patients scheduled for vascular surgery.