This large international cohort study identified that 3.9% of patients undergoing major noncardiac surgery received postoperative vasopressor infusions.
There was substantial inter-hospital variability in vasopressor use (0% to 18%), unexplained by patient or procedural factors.
Postoperative vasopressor administration was consistently associated with increased in-hospital mortality, organ dysfunction, and prolonged hospital stays.
The findings underscore clinical uncertainty around postoperative hypotension management and the need for standardized evidence-based protocols.
