Journal of Allergy & Therapy

Abstract

The Perioperative Management of Asthma

Richard Applegate, Ryan Lauer, John Lenart, Jason Gatling and Marisa Vadi

Anesthesiologists encounter asthmatic patients routinely. This common disease frequently complicates the perioperative care of those patients who live with it and can occasionally lead to life-threatening complications. This review takes the anesthesiologist’s perspective to discuss asthma and how asthmatic patients can be safely guided through an anesthetic. We will discuss frequently used asthma medications, pre-operative disease optimization, management of intra-operative bronchospasm, and post-operative considerations for asthmatic patients. Anesthesiologists can make a positive difference in the outcomes of these patients with proper preoperative evaluation using a stepwise approach to disease management and by minimizing bronchoconstriction and effectively treating it when it develops.