Anaesthetists at the heart of assessing patients’ fitness for surgery & encouraging patients who smoke to stop

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) is pleased to support the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Action on Smoking and Health and the Faculty of Public Health on encouraging patients to stop or reduce smoking ahead of surgery in order to improve survival rates and reduce post-operative complications.

RCoA President, Dr Liam Brennan, said: “Helping patients to stop or reduce the amount they smoke before any form of anaesthetic is an important goal for anaesthetists. In addition to the general health risks associated with smoking, we know that smokers are more likely to suffer a range of complications, some of which can be life-threatening, both during and after surgery.

“Anaesthetists, as leaders of the perioperative medicine team, can assist patients by discussing the risks and benefits of the proposed operation, ensuring that the appropriate care is in place and provide timely perioperative interventions to reduce the risk of postoperative complications. This includes discussions about smoking cessation.”