Alcohol consumption and anaesthesia

Abstract

There seems little doubt that a little of what you fancy does you, and therefore your patient, good. The ongoing discussions concern the number of units of alcohol (one glass of wine, half a pint of beer, ect.) that can be consumed each week without damage to health. In 1995, “sensible drinking” suggested up to 28 units a week for men, and 14 for women was permissible. Further evidence, though with dissention from some other sources, suggested that wine, particularly red, had cardioprotective effects. Sadly, this advice is ignored by many people who drink alcohol to excess. Whereas a reasonable social intake of alcohol will have no effect on the anaesthetic process, alcoholism most certainly does.