Beta blocker therapy
What It MeansPercentage of selected surgical patients on beta-blocker therapy prior to admission who received a beta-blocker during the perioperative period. The perioperative period for this measure is defined as 24 hours prior to the surgical incision through discharge from the post-anesthesia care/recovery area.
Why It Is Important
For those patients on beta-blocker therapy, continuous beta-blocker therapy during the perioperative period has been shown to help reduce the occurrence of cardiac complications after surgery.
Numerator Definition
Surgery patients on beta-blocker therapy prior to admission who receive a beta-blocker during the perioperative period.
Denominator Definition
All of the selected surgery patients on beta-blocker therapy prior to admission.
Denominator Excluded Populations
- Patients less than 18 years of age
- Patients who have a length of stay >120 days
- Patients whose principle procedure was performed entirely by laparoscope
- Patients enrolled in clinical trials
- Patients whose principle procedure occurred prior to the date of admission
- Patients who expired during the perioperative period
- Pregnant patients taking a beta-blocker prior to admission
- Patients who did not receive a beta-blocker due to contraindications as documented in the medical record.
