DM1 Pt1-4 Classification of Anaesthetic Risk

Question 1

What does the ASA system classify in veterinary patients?

Answer 1

It classifies the physical status of patients based on health, assigning a number between 1 and 5 to assess anaesthetic risk.

Question 2

What does “E” denote in the ASA system?

Answer 2

“E” denotes procedural urgency, indicating that the surgery is an emergency.

Question 3

What is an ASA 1 classification?

Answer 3

ASA 1 refers to a healthy patient undergoing elective surgery, e.g., a healthy cat presented for an elective spay.

Question 4

What is an ASA 2 classification?

Answer 4

ASA 2 is for a patient with mild systemic disease without clinical signs, e.g., a cat with mild elevations in liver enzymes.

Question 5

What is an ASA 3 classification?

Answer 5

ASA 3 refers to a patient with systemic disease causing clinical signs, e.g., a cat with chronic renal failure showing increased drinking and urination.

Question 6

What is an ASA 4 classification?

Answer 6

ASA 4 is for a patient with systemic disease causing severe clinical signs, e.g., a cat with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and pleural effusion.

Question 7

What is an ASA 5 classification?

Answer 7

ASA 5 is for a patient with severe systemic disease not expected to survive, e.g., a cat with severe haemorrhage following a road traffic accident.

Question 8

Why is the ASA system useful in clinical practice?

Answer 8

It helps develop anaesthesia protocols by assigning risk, guiding the use of drugs, monitoring, and patient support during anaesthesia.

Question 9

What factors are not considered by the ASA system?

Answer 9

The ASA system does not account for the age of the patient, procedure, staff experience, or available facilities.