2024 EACTS guidelines on perioperative medication in adult cardiac surgery: embracing precision medicine driven by strong evidence-based methodology

Guidelines are pivotal for optimal patient management and should be grounded by evidence-based medicine with accurate methodology.¹ The European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery has recently released the “2024 EACTS Guidelines on Perioperative Medication in Adult Cardiac Surgery”,² which address significant novel advancements in the pharmacological management of adult patients undergoing various types of cardiac surgery, including open-heart surgery (coronary and non-coronary) and transcatheter aortic valve implantation. These guidelines comprise several drug classes and provide recommendations on their use, discontinuation and/or (re)introduction at the different phases surrounding elective, urgent or emergent cardiac interventions: early before, during, and after the operation, both short- and long-term. A substantial portion of the document focuses on antithrombotic agents, and several novel aspects and approaches warrant attention....