Health Issue: Anaesthesia

Anaesthesia makes

patients anxious

London: Eighty-five percent of patents who took part in a survey shortly after day surgery admitted to being anxious about receiving a general anaesthetic.

        Seventeen percent of respondents said they were very or extremely anxious, 22% said they were quite anxious, 46% said they were a little anxious and 15% experienced no anxiety at all. Key concerns included dying while asleep, not waking up after surgery, waking up during surgery and anxiety while waiting to go into surgery or arriving at the theater door.

        "Our survey underlines the importance of patients receiving planned and timely information about anaesthesia, prior to the day of surgery, in order to limit their anxiety," said Mark Mitchell, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the University of Salford in Britian. "This should include information about how anaesthesia is managed, the notion of carefully controlled and supervised anesthesia and dispelling misconceptions associated with general anaesthesia."

           Patients scheduled for elective surgery in three day surgery units in England were invited to take part in the survey and 460 patients - a response rate of 37% - completed the questionnaire within 24 to 48 hours of surgery. The patients who took part were aged between 18 and 75, with an average age of 46, and 59% were female.