Perioperative chronic medication management

Abstract

The majority of patients submitted to surgical procedures are on chronic medication. Unfortunately, there are few outcome data about the majority of medications taken in the perioperative period and how clinicians manage chronic medication in this setting. All adult patients consecutively admitted for elective surgery at “Cova da Beira” Hospital Center were selected for the study. The study consisted of 929 patients submitted to elective surgery between September 2008 and July 2010. A total of 71.3 % were on chronic medication. The mean number of drugs taken was 2.4 ± 2.5(1-14). In logistic regression analysis both taking chronic medication and withdrawing it were not risk factors for the occurrence of adverse events.This work provides evidence that chronic medication and its management, either continuing or the withdrawal of it, may not add significant risk to perioperative period.