Usefulness of pre-anesthetic consultation to reduce the degree of anxiety in patients scheduled for surgical intervention

Abstract

Abstract Background and objectives Preoperative anxiety can alter perioperative evolution, increasing the need for sedatives and analgesics. Information received during the pre-anesthesia consultation could reduce the level of anxiety. The objective of this study was to determine whether preoperative anxiety levels decrease after the pre-anesthesia consultation. Methods Observational, unicentric, prospective study. Sociodemographic and clinical data were recorded. Heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety levels were measured before and after the pre-anesthesia consultation using the abbreviated State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Results were analyzed using Wilcoxon test and univariate logistic regression. Results 90 patients were included, with a median age of 62 years; 58% were females, 79% had completed primary-secondary studies, 72% were selected for ambulatory surgery and 72% preferred regional anesthesia. The prevalence of anxiety was 35.6% (STAI score 5, IQR 3–9); after the anesthesia consultation the score was reduced to 4 (IQR 2–6), P=.005. There was no significative decrease in hemodynamic values, and no significant relationship between anxiety and sociodemographic or clinical variables. Conclusions The pre-anesthesia consultation reduces anxiety levels in surgical patients. This emphasizes the importance of the pre-anesthesia consultation in identifying and managing anxiety.