Risk for and Reduction of Pulmonary Complications in Patients Undergoing Noncardiothoracic Surgery: An American College of Physicians Guideline

The summary below is from the full reports titled “Risk Assessment for and Strategies To Reduce Perioperative Pulmonary Complications for Patients Undergoing Noncardiothoracic Surgery: A Guideline from the American College of Physicians,” “Preoperative Pulmonary Risk Stratification for Noncardiothoracic Surgery: Systematic Review for the American College of Physicians,” and “Strategies To Reduce Postoperative Pulmonary Complications after Noncardiothoracic Surgery: Systematic Review for the American College of Physicians.” They are in the 18 April 2006 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine (volume 144, pages 575-580, pages 581-595, and pages 596-608, respectively). The first report was written by A. Qaseem, V. Snow, N. Fitterman, E.R. Hornbake, V.A. Lawrence, G.W. Smetana, K. Weiss, and D.K. Owens, for the Clinical Efficacy Assessment Subcommittee of the American College of Physicians; the second report was written by G.W. Smetana, V.A. Lawrence, and J.E. Cornell; and the third report was written by V.A. Lawrence, J.E. Cornell, and G.W. Smetana.