Perioperative Concerns in the Patient with History of Alcohol Use

Abstract

Alcohol use is common in patients presenting for surgery and can result in significant physiologic changes and postoperative complications. Anesthesia providers must be aware of the potential risks associated with alcohol consumption and take steps to minimize them. Perioperative management includes assessing patients for alcohol use, providing alcohol cessation interventions, adjusting the anesthetic plan according to the patient's alcohol use history, providing appropriate pain management strategies, and closely monitoring patients during and after surgery for signs of alcohol withdrawal.

Keywords: Alcohol use disorder; Anesthesia; Chronic alcohol use; Heavy alcohol use; Perianesthetic; Perioperative; Risky alcohol use.