Sections of a pre-op assessment - history

Question 1

Core details?

Answer 1

• Patient details
• Operation
• Background

Question 2

Current health?

Answer 2

• Any current illness?
• Full systems review
• Baseline exercise tolerance
• Sleep apnoea/ symptoms
• Smoking/alcohol use

Question 3

How to ask about baseline exercise tolerance?

Answer 3

• How far they can walk
• What makes them stop - SOB/chest pain/claudication

Question 4

Symptoms of sleep apnoea?

Answer 4

• Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
• Excessive sleepiness
• Morning headaches

Question 5

Medical and drug history?

Answer 5

• Ask specifically about certain medical conditions and if they are adequately controlled
• Drug history needs to be checked (inc. allergies)

Question 6

What medical history needs to be checked specifically?

Answer 6

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Asthma/COPD
• Cardiovascular disease
• Liver disease

Question 7

Anaesthetic history?

Answer 7

• Previous anaesthetics and reactions
• Family anaesthetic history

Question 8

Sections of pre-op history?

Answer 8

• Core details
• Current health
• Medical and drug history
• Anaesthetic history