title: Preoperative assessment and premedication in paediatrics.
abstract: Preoperative assessment and premedication represent important preparatory steps to ensuring a smooth and effective induction of anaesthesia. A thorough review of the child's medical history, previous anaesthetics, medications, allergies and family history is essential to design the optimal anaesthetic for the child and his/her surgery. Risks must be addressed with the parents as appropriate based on the local standards. Preoperative anxiolysis may assume several strategies, with premedication with a pharmacologic agent very common and most successful. This review focuses on the preoperative assessment and premedication for children undergoing elective surgery.
authors.affiliation: From the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo and Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Jerrold
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lerman
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000379:methods; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010290:Parents; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D011292:Premedication / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D057234:Preoperative Period; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents