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Asthma
and SurgerySurgery
If
you have asthma, then you are at higher risk for complications
during and after a surgery. Some of these complications include
tightened chest and breathlessness due from intubations (insert
definition for intubations here), hypoxemia, respiratory infection,
and sensitivity to some anesthetic.
If
you have asthma, there are certain steps you can take to help
manage your asthma and reduce the risk of complications during
surgery:
- Make sure to tell your
doctor (or all of your doctors) that you have asthma.
- Before surgery, review
your level of asthma control, your medication use, and your
pulmonary function with your doctor. Are you waking up at
night coughing? Are you using your inhaled corticosteroid
everyday and at the right time? Are you using the inhaler
correctly? When was the last time you had spirometry? Did
it show that your asthma was in control? You and your doctor
should be able to answer all of these questions and help you
determine if your asthma is under control.
- If your asthma is not
under control, your doctor should provide you with an asthma
action plan and asthma medications before your surgery to
make sure to improve your lung function.
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