Assign a CARE class (1–5) based on global preoperative assessment and the planned procedure. Emergency status is recorded separately.

CARE class	Description
1	Stable cardiac disease, no other medical problem. A noncomplex surgery is undertaken.
2	Stable cardiac disease with one or more controlled medical problems (eg controlled hypertension, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and a noncomplex surgery is undertaken.
3	Any uncontrolled medical problem (eg unstable angina on intravenous therapy, preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump, decompensated heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, significant renal insufficiency) or any complex surgery (eg reoperation, combined valve and coronary artery surgery, multiple valve surgery, left ventricular aneurysmectomy, repair of post-infarct ventricular septal defect, bypass of diffuse or heavily calcified vessels).
4	Any uncontrolled medical problem and a complex surgery as above.
5	Chronic or advanced cardiac disease for which cardiac surgery is undertaken as a last hope to save or improve life.
E	Emergency: surgery begins as soon as the diagnosis is made and an operating theatre is available. Record E in addition to the underlying CARE class (eg 3E, 4E, 5E).

Cardiac Anesthesia Risk Evaluation Score (CARE)