Wilcox T, et al. - In this investigation, researchers evaluated established cardiovascular risk scores for prediction of acute stroke following noncardiac surgery. From the US National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, 540,717 patients undergoing noncardiac surgery between 2009 and 2010 were identified. For the primary outcome of stroke, study participants were prospectively followed for 30 days postoperatively. To anticipate perioperative stroke, conventional cardiovascular and perioperative risk scores (CHADS₂, CHA₂DS₂-VASc, Revised Cardiac Risk Index, Mashour et al risk score, Myocardial Infarction or Cardiac Arrest risk score, and National Quality Improvement Project American College of Surgeons surgical risk calculator) were evaluated. Investigators found that stroke was seen in 1,474 noncardiac surgeries perioperatively. Perioperative stroke patients were elderly, more often male, had reduced body mass index, and more often had vascular surgery or neurosurgery vs patients without stroke. They concluded that in most patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery, the Myocardial Infarction or Cardiac Arrest risk score and American College of Surgeons surgical risk calculator surgical risk scores provide outstanding risk discrimination for perioperative stroke. In patients having vascular surgery, the stroke forecast was less ideal.