Frequency of vasoplegia after cardiac surgery at tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of vasoplegia after cardiac surgery at tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Study Design: Descriptive Cross Sectional study. Setting: NICVD Karachi. Period: 30/07/2025 to 30/01/2026. Methods: Among 162 patients (18 to 65 years old) undergoing cardiac surgery. Patients with pre-existing vasoplegia, pregnancy, end stage dysfunction of organs or with chronic inflammatory diseases were excluded. Baseline demographic and clinical information were note down and the state of vasoplegia was evaluated with the help of a predetermined definition. The SPSS version 22.0 was used to analyze the data and the associations were compared using chi-square or Fisher exact test (p ≤0.05). Results: The mean age was 52.14 ± 11.64 years. Majority of the patients were older than 50 years (135; 64.9%), 163 patients (78.4% males), Patients with vasoplegia were 17 (8.2%). Age, gender, body mass index, comorbidities, residence status or type of surgery did not have significant association with vasplegia. Low mean arterial pressure at 24 hours (p = 0.002) and 48 hours (p = 0.044) was significantly associated with the formation of vasoplegia in the postoperative conditions. Conclusion: Vasoplegia in cardiac surgery affects 8.2% of patients and leads to lower mean arterial pressure after the procedure. Early identification of higher-risk patients via hemodynamic monitoring can enhance postoperative care.