Asthma Anesthesia

Excerpt

Asthma is characterized by variable and often reversible airway obstruction with bronchial hyperreactivity. An estimated 8.4% of people in the US have asthma, while 4.3% of the global population is affected. Both the US and the global prevalence of asthma continue to rise. Patients with asthma are at an elevated risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality due to bronchospasm and hypoxemia. Children are especially prone to perioperative respiratory adverse events (PRAE). Preoperative identification and optimization of patients with asthma before elective surgery are critical in preventing harm. A well-planned anesthetic is an essential component in providing safe and high-quality care for these patients in the perioperative environment.