title: Allowing pre-operative patients to drink: effects on patients' safety and comfort of unlimited oral water until 2 hours before anaesthesia.
abstract: The effect of allowing patients unlimited access to oral water in the time up until 2 h pre-operatively was the subject of a randomised, blind, controlled trial. No effect was seen on gastric volume or pH, or on plasma osmolality, and allowing water pre-operatively was associated with a reduction in anxiety in the anaesthetic room.
authors.affiliation: Anaesthetic Department, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Vaughan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D001769:Blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004326:Drinking; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011300:Preoperative Care