Fasting guidelines

Question 1

Advice

Answer 1

Stop eating – 6 hours before
Stop dairy products (including tea and coffee) – 6 hours before
Stop clear fluids – 2 hours before

Question 2

Importance of fasting

Answer 2

*Fasting ensures that the stomach is empty of contents. This reduces the risk of pulmonary aspiration, which can occur during the perioperative period, which can lead to both aspiration pneumonitis (inflammation caused by very acidic gastric contents, leading to desquamation) and aspiration pneumonia (due to secondary infection following pneumonitis or direct aspiration of infected material).