[Anesthesia and bodybuilding]
Frank Hokema1, Uta-Carolin Pietsch, Dagmar Führer
1Klinik und Poliklinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivtherapie des Universitätsklinikums Leipzig. frank.hokema@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Summary
Anesthesiologists frequently care for bodybuilders using performance-enhancing drugs. These substances pose significant cardiovascular, hepatic, and other health risks, impacting anesthesia safety.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pharmacology
- Sports Medicine
Context:
- Increasing prevalence of body enhancement practices in Western societies.
- Bodybuilders commonly use performance-enhancing substances like anabolic steroids and human growth hormone.
- These substances are associated with numerous health risks.
Purpose:
- To highlight the anesthetic implications for bodybuilders.
- To inform healthcare professionals about the potential complications associated with performance-enhancing drug use in this population.
- To assess the anesthesia risks in bodybuilders.
Summary:
- Bodybuilders often use androgenic anabolic steroids and human growth hormone to accelerate muscle gain.
- These drugs can lead to cardiovascular, hepatic, psychiatric, hormonal, and infectious complications.
- Anesthesia risks are not fully understood but appear linked to cardiovascular events such as myocardial ischemia and dysrhythmias.
Impact:
- Increased awareness among anesthesiologists regarding the unique risks associated with bodybuilding patients.
- Potential for improved patient monitoring and management strategies for bodybuilders undergoing anesthesia.
- Highlights the need for further research into the specific anesthesia risks and complications in this population.
Related Concept Videos
01:24General Anesthesia: Overview
Anesthesia is a medical procedure that uses drugs for CNS suppression to enable painless surgeries and procedures. The selection of anesthetics is influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties, side effects, and patient characteristics. Various types of anesthesia include general, local, regional, spinal, and inhalational.
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
01:22Stages of General Anesthesia
Various sedation levels offer significant advantages in facilitating procedural interventions for patients undergoing medical or invasive surgical procedures. These levels span from anxiolysis to general anesthesia, providing a spectrum of sedative effects to cater to specific patient needs. Anxiolysis reduces anxiety and is achieved through minimal sedation, enabling patients to remain awake and responsive while feeling more at ease during the procedure. This level can benefit minor...
01:31Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses
Skeletal muscle relaxants are used to relax muscle tone and alleviate painful muscle contractions. However, the choice of skeletal muscle relaxants depends on the duration of the surgical procedure in order to minimize potential side effects. Skeletal muscle relaxants like neuromuscular blocking agents [NMBAs] are commonly employed as adjuvants alongside general anesthetics in clinical settings. NMBAs are also used to maintain controlled ventilation during surgery of the larynx or pharynx as...
01:24Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
01:13Local Anesthetics: Pharmacokinetics
The potency and duration of action of local anesthetics (LAs) are determined by their pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetics describes how LAs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated from the body. When administered to the vascular tissues, LAs are quickly absorbed and enter the systemic circulation, reducing their localized effects. Adding vasoconstrictors such as epinephrine to LAs reduces their absorption into the systemic circulation, making them clinically effective. The...
01:11Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia
Spinal anesthetics are given during lower abdomen and limb surgeries to block sensory and motor neurons. They are administered in the mid to low lumbar regions, primarily acting on the cauda equina's nerve roots. The blockade level depends on the local anesthetic (LA) concentration. Usually, low LA concentrations are sufficient to block sensory fibers, while only high LA concentrations block motor fibers. Other factors like injection volume and speed, the patient's posture, and the drug...