How Alcoholism Impacts Anesthesia Outcomes During Surgery

Alcohol use can pose a variety of health complications and can even affect the type of treatment you receive in unrelated health care. If you are about to have a surgery preformed that requires anesthesia, it is important to become familiar with the anesthesia that will be used during surgery and to discuss your chronic alcohol use with the anesthesiologist.

For individuals who consume alcohol on a regular basis, the use of anesthesia for an unrelated surgery may need to be modified from that of typical uses. Because alcohol consumption, in the days prior to surgery, can have an effect on lower blood pressure, your anesthesiologist will need to monitor your blood pressure very closely during surgery to prevent hypotension from setting in. For this reason, before your surgery, it is important to be honest with your anesthesiologist about the amount and timing of your recent alcohol consumption.

In addition to risks associated with hypotension, the chronic alcohol user will need fewer anesthesias during surgery simply due to the liver effects. Because alcohol creates a complication with liver health, the liver is less able to metabolize the anesthesia given during surgery. As a result, fewer anesthesias are needed during your surgical procedure. Beyond this, your nerve receptors are most likely already diminished due to chronic use of alcohol and, this again, is another reason to avoid an abundant amount of anesthesia during your surgery.

By speaking openly and honestly with your anesthesiologist, you can determine what types of anesthesia are going to be best for your and what levels of dosing should be needed. Advising the anesthesiologist about your history of alcohol use will help in determining what levels are most appropriate for your surgery needs. One surgery is complete, you may require a sedative to reduce any withdrawal symptoms that arise as your anesthesia needs can post unique health complications when years and years of alcoholism has diminished some aspects of your bodily responses.

When preparing for surgery, there are many aspects of the procedure that you will want to discuss with your doctor. While anesthesia use is typically not a question in most surgeries, if you have a history of alcohol use, this is a health concern that should be addressed. Before undergoing your surgery, be sure you have an opportunity to meet and discuss your alcohol use with your anesthesiologist as, in doing so, you can be sure you get the right amount of anesthesia for your healthcare needs.

Sources: Under the Mask, by James E. Cottrell, pp. 64-66.