About 70 percent people are worried about getting anesthetized during an outpatient visit or health exam, while 40 percent have refused a checkup or treatment because they were concerned about adverse side effects from anesthesia, a survey released yesterday by the Taiwan Society of Anesthesiologists showed.
The society last month conducted a survey to understand people’s concerns and knowledge about anesthesia, collecting more than 500 valid questionnaires from respondents aged 20 or older, said society president Yu Huang-ping (余黃平), director of Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital’s Department of Anesthesiology.
Of the respondents, about 70 percent were concerned about getting anesthesia during an outpatient visit or health exam, he said, adding that 54.8 percent were worried that anesthetics could harm their organs and 54.4 percent believed that anesthesia results in a higher risk of death, he said.
Photo: CNA
The respondents’ three most common concerns were that they would not wake up after being anesthetized (37.2 percent), would have a bad adverse reaction (36.8 percent) and would wake up during surgery (33 percent), Yu said.
About 40 percent of the respondents had refused a checkup or treatment for fear of potential side effects from anesthesia, he said.
Of those who had received anesthesia, 67 percent did not know the name of the anesthesiologist involved, Yu said, adding that the public’s knowledge about anesthesia is limited.
Society managing supervisor Liaw Wen-jinn (廖文進), an anesthesiologist at Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, said that elderly people, people with multiple chronic health conditions, severely obese people, people with snoring and sleep apnea syndrome, and people with poor kidney function might be more at risk of experiencing side effects from anesthesia.
To reduce the risk to their health from anesthesia and ensure they are more comfortable about the procedure, people should ensure they know the name of their anesthesiologist, learn what type of anesthetic is to be used, and check whether the hospital plans to use anesthesia monitoring equipment during the procedure, he said.
People are also encouraged to consult with their anesthesiologist and voice their concerns, so that the anesthesiologist can customize the types of anesthetics used and dosages, and explain the possible side effects, Liaw said.
However, with new advances in anesthetics, most people can safely be anesthetized with proper monitoring, he added.
The society said that people should fully communicate their health issues to their anesthesiologist, check whether the anesthesiologist’s name is on the anesthesia consent form before the procedure, try to relax and cooperate with the medical team during the procedure, and be alert to any possible side effects after the procedure.
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