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Should I continue or discontinue that medication?
John Nagelhout1, Sass Elisha, Edward Waters
1Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia/California State University, Fullerton, Los Angeles, California, USA. john.j.nagelhout@kp.org
AANA Journal
|March 7, 2009
Summary
Nurse anesthetists must understand preoperative medications to ensure patient safety during surgery. Reviewing drug interactions and perioperative management is crucial for effective anesthesia and disease control.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Up to 50% of surgical patients take preoperative medications.
- Commonly used drugs treat cardiovascular, central nervous system, and gastrointestinal disorders.
- Limited evidence-based guidelines exist for managing these medications perioperatively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current literature on anesthetic management of commonly encountered preoperative drug classes.
- To highlight the importance of understanding drug pharmacology, interactions, and adverse effects.
- To guide safe perioperative medication management.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current evidence on preoperative medication management.
- Analysis of pharmacology, potential adverse effects, and drug interactions.
- Discussion of strategies for medication discontinuation or alteration.
Main Results:
- Many medications for minor, non-systemic disorders can be continued safely.
- Some drugs require discontinuation or dose adjustments to prevent perioperative complications.
- Familiarity with drug classes is essential for nurse anesthetists.
Conclusions:
- Effective perioperative management of patient medications is critical for surgical safety.
- Nurse anesthetists require comprehensive knowledge of drug interactions and anesthetic compatibility.
- Further research and guidelines are needed for optimal preoperative drug management.
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