The impact of routine preoperative electrocardiogram in patients age > or = 40 years in Srinagarind Hospital.

A 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) has been recommended for adult patients before operations involving general or regional anesthesia. However, there is a growing consensus that it is of little benefit and ECG should be done only in selected subsets of patients with cardiac signs and symptoms or older patients. We prospectively surveyed 1,013 patients before operation, 395 patients were 40 years or more, ECG abnormalities were present in 130/395 (32.9%), significant ECG abnormalities in 31/395 (7.9%) and ECG with management change in 10/395 (2.5%). Old or questionable myocardial infarction were found in 8 (4.0%) and acute ischemia or injury in 4 (2.0%). The frequency of ECG abnormalities increased with age in males but not in females. Abnormal physical examination could predict only 20 per cent of abnormal ECG. The variables which could predict ECG abnormalities were age and irregular pulse. The frequency of ECG abnormalities, significant ECG abnormalities and ECG abnormalities which led to management change in those patients with normal physical examination were 31.7, 6.4 and 2.2 per cent respectively. In conclusion we propose that preoperative ECG may be indicated in both men and women aged > or = 40 years.