Use marijuana. Marijuana has a
sedative affect and can interact with
anesthesia, so it's important to ask patients
if they partake, whether by eating edibles,
smoking or other methods. Further, smok-
ing marijuana holds many of the same sig-
nificant risks that smoking cigarettes does.
Drink alcohol. More than 2 alcoholic
drinks a day can increase patients'
risk of side effects from anesthesia, as well
as affect the amount of anesthesia they'll
need. The anesthetist needs to know if
they drink and may request that they
abstain before surgery.
Snore. If sleep apnea causes a
patient's snoring, anesthesia is riskier
because it slows breathing and increases
sensitivity to side effects. Sleep apnea also
can make it more difficult to regain con-
sciousness after surgery. For sleep apnea
patients, the anesthetist may adjust the
sedative, keep them in recovery longer and
prescribe non-opioid pain medications.
Have had heat stroke or suffered a
stroke. Ask patients if they or any of
their family members have ever had heat
stroke (a reaction to excessive heat when
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A P R I L 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 2 3
PATIENT EDUCATION
An Anesthesia
Checklist for Patients
To help your patients
prepare for surgery,
suggest that they visit
asahq.org/wscprepar-
ingforsurgery. They
also can download
and make a printout
of Preparing for
Surgery: An
Anesthesia Checklist
(osmag.net/SeYzG5)
to take along with
them when they visit
their anesthesia
provider before sur-
gery, as well as when
they're in pre-op.
