Introduction:

Lactate is the final product of anaerobic metabolism and a valuable diagnostic tool for the interpretation, stratification and understanding of different pathological processes of the critically ill patient.

Objective:

To determine the association between serum lactate levels and mortality and hospital stay in post-cardiovascular surgery patients.

Methodology:

Retrospective observational study with analytical components. Patients with cardiovascular pathology, over 18 years old, males and females, admitted to the National Hospital (Itauguá, Paraguay) between the years 2016-2017 were included. The independent variable was lactate and the dependent ones were state at discharge and hospital stay.

Results:

Thirty-one patients were included, with a mean age of 54.5 years, 61.2% were male, 74.2% presented comorbidities. It was found 38.7% of post-surgical complications, 25.0% was cardiac tamponade and 25.0% bleeding. Nine point six percent of post-surgical deaths were found. No statistically significant association was found between elevated lactate levels and prolonged hospital stay or deaths.

Conclusion:

Post-surgical serum lactate levels were high (93.6%). No association was found between serum lactate and hospital stay or deaths.

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