Lerman BJ, et al. - In this retrospective cohort study involving 609,735 patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, researchers determined the risk of postoperative mortality in patients with heart failure at various levels of echocardiographic (left ventricular systolic dysfunction) and clinical (symptoms) severity vs those without heart failure, and assessed how risk varies across levels of surgical complexity. Postoperative mortality at 90 days was the primary outcome. Overall, the investigators noted a significant association of heart failure with or without symptoms with 90-day postoperative mortality in patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgery. They concluded that, in preoperative discussions with patients with heart failure undergoing noncardiac surgery, these data might be beneficial.