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A N E S T H E S I A
tions and side effects that opioids often bring to bear, such as PONV,
drowsiness, constipation and respiratory depression. High-acuity
patients such as the morbidly obese, elderly and ill are particularly
well served by regional anesthesia, as
narcotics can couple with obstructive sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other co-morbidities to increase the risk of
respiratory arrest.
The complications of opioids can also prolong a patient's stay in
PACU and their treatment can demand a large amount of nursing
time. Nerve blocks may require more time pre-operatively to administer, but they earn it back in post-op with patients' shorter recoveries,
