Medical history for anesthesia

As part of the planning for any surgery or procedure requiring anesthesia, your medical history helps evaluate your current health and identify any potential risks or complications that may affect your anesthesia care. Your medical history will include other surgeries you have had and any conditions you have (such as diabetes). You also will be asked whether you have had any allergic reactions to any anesthetics or medications or whether any family members have had reactions to anesthetics.

It is important to provide complete information because certain medical conditions can increase your risk of complications when you are receiving anesthesia. These conditions include heart problems (such as angina, a previous heart attack, heart failure, or valvular heart disease) and neurological problems (such as a stroke or seizures).

Other conditions that also may require special consideration include asthma, respiratory infection, diabetes, kidney problems, thyroid disease, liver disease, cancer, pregnancy, arthritis, or systemic lupus. Smoking can increase your risk of complications, as well as substance abuse involving alcohol, opioids, or cocaine, so you should be honest about these in your discussions with your surgeon and anesthesia specialist.

Obesity and certain digestive system conditions-such as hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cancer, or any prior surgery on the esophagus or stomach-make you more likely to regurgitate or vomit stomach contents, increasing the risk of aspiration. Aspiration occurs when an object or liquid is inhaled into the respiratory tract.

Your history may also include the following questions.

• Have you ever had surgery before?
• What type of anesthesia did you receive-local, regional, or general?
• Were there any problems with the anesthesia? If so, what treatment was given?
• Is there any personal or family history of anesthesia-related problems?
• Are you currently taking any medications? Why are you taking them?
• How often are you taking the medication? When did you last take the medication?
• Have you ever had a reaction to any medication? If yes, what was the medication, and what kind of reaction did you have?

It will be helpful to prepare a list of all medications that you take on a regular basis or have taken recently, including the dose. Be sure to include both prescription and nonprescription medications as well as any vitamins or herbal preparations.