Guidelines for the management of antiplatelet therapy in patients with coronary stents undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

C tainty regarding the risks of stent thrombosis in individual patients, and in particular how to balance this risk against that of surgical complications if antiplatelet therapy is continued throughout the perioperative period. This guideline provides consensus advice regarding (RACS), the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (RACDS), the Australasian Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ASCTS) and a non-affiliated consumer. These guidelines were ratified at the CSANZ Board meeting held on Wednesday, 12th August 2009. In view of the dynamic nature of this subject, an update of this guideline is plannedwithin 12months.