Anaesthesia for the patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome--a review

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome affects over 10 million persons worldwide. The disease represents an enormous cost to society in health care resources and in loss from the workforce. Although initially reported in 1980 as a disease affecting mainly homosexuals and intravenous drug abusers with a predominance in males, the male to female ratio was close to parity by 1992. The disease attacks all systems in the body. Preanaesthetic evaluation focuses on assessment of lung function and presence of infection, evaluation of endocarditis and treatment of congestive failure, rehydration and correction of electrolyte imbalances, transfusion and documentation of central nervous system manifestations. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has produced guidelines to protect health care workers from transmission of the virus. Although the risk of infection is extremely low, these precautions should be routinely adopted.