Informative Essay: What Is Anaesthesia?

Anesthesiology is the science of administering anesthetics. An anesthesiologist is a medical doctor who cares for a patient before, during and immediately following a surgical or medical procedure by administering appropriate anesthesia and monitoring the patient for reactions and complications, and to ensure comfort and manage pain.

Anesthesiology did not become a profession until the late 1930s, this caused the next generation to see many improvements in pain relief. Alcohol had previously been used, as well as the only other options, such as opiates, which are extremely addictive and could be lethal. Today, there are many anesthetics that are more relevant for certain situations, that are distributed by anesthesiologists, a person who prescribes a certain medication in specific situations. Anesthesiology is a challenging career path, which entails specific professional requirements, with specific job order, an incredible career growth outlook for the year of 2024, as well as a substantial salary.

Anesthesiologists give patients anesthetics in a variety of ways, such as “orally, intravenously, by gas or direct injection to render patients insensible to pain Anesthesiologists typically maintain the same daily schedule a surgeon follows, participating in both scheduled and unscheduled operations. Anesthesiologists are responsible for determining the proper anesthetic and dosage level for each patient. They monitor the patients progress prior to, during, and after surgery.”(“Anesthesiologist” 31)

The investigation of how anesthesia effects cognitive functioning has had a long history. Overtime, it has been suggested that there is an association between anesthesia, surgery, delirium, dementia and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (Inan & Ozkose Satirlar, 2015). The theory of anesthesia’s impact on cognitive functioning was derived in 1887, by Savage, who began to observe the “insanity” that follows the use of anesthesia. He suggested that “Any cause which will give rise to delirium may set up a more chronic form of mental disorder quite apart from any febrile disturbance” (Savage, 1887, p. 1199). Delirium can be defined as an altered level of consciousness that may cause a sudden decline in attention and focus perception (Isik, 2015). Postoperative delirium was reevaluated in 1955 when Bedford used a series of case studies collected over a 50 year span to describe a connection between anesthesia and dementia. The results suggest that 10% of the patients had postoperative cognitive dysfunction (Bedford, 1955). Since these initial studies, research has persisted using a variety of methods, in an attempt to determine: both long- and short-term effects of anesthesia on cognitive functioning and memory; whether the anesthesia administration technique will change the outcome of postoperative cognitive dysfunction; and other risk factors that may be associated to AD.

Could you imagine going through a surgery without anesthetics? You know, an anesthesiologist isn't the only one who gives anesthesia—it's a team effort. Nurse anesthetists have been the primary administers of anesthesia since World War II. Many health care facilities do not have anesthesiologists on staff, but they have a CRNA, or a Certified Registered Nursing Anesthetist. They are the nurses that put IVs (intravenous sedatives) into patients before surgery, as well as a combination of other medicines to relax the patient ("Nurse Anesthetist" Career Articles). The anesthesia promotes a controlled state of unconsciousness, muscular relaxation, and insensitivity to pain. So when you go to the operating room, you will most likely have a nurse

Anesthesia was developed in order to block or prevent pain during medical procedures. Anesthesia has been the backbone of the medical world for around 100 years now. Early anesthetics were primitive and many patients simply did not trust anesthetics. Anesthesia is still a risky process even in todays advanced medical world. Anesthesia is not used to treat or diagnose any specific disease; the sole purpose is to aid both the patient and surgeon through procedures. However, anesthesia is used in different ways based on the magnitude of the procedure. There are three levels of anesthesia which include; local, regional, and general anesthesia. An anesthesiologist determines which type of anesthesia will be needed.

From the first wound wrapping, to the toughest open heart surgery, medics have come a long way. One of the greatest breakthrough was made in the mid-19th century, which was the discovery of anesthesia. With this, surgeons were able to take their time with surgeries, which let them try out more complex

Postoperative pain is the most undesired sequence of surgery, and if not treated properly, can lead to increased hospital stay and delayed return to daily activities (10).

Administering anesthesia may seem easy to do, but being an anesthesiologist requires a lot of concentration and ability to work in stressful situations. In several careers, there might be little to no stress, but an Anesthesiologist must deal with elevated levels of stress, because of the frequent life and death situations. An Anesthesiologist usually rises early and finish late, not giving them much flexibility. Being an Anesthesiologist is a busy career; having to go from operation to operation, and having limited breaks may not be a career individuals would choose, but it has its beneficial aspects. Just like most doctors Anesthesiologist experience moments in their career where a situation is not great, but seeing the joy on a family’s face because their love

The onset of a state of total anaesthesia was measured, along with the amount required to induce such a state. Researchers found there was a significant increase in the time required to reach total anaesthesia for opioid-tolerant patients. Further, the amount of local anaesthesia required to reach this state was significantly higher for opioid-tolerant patients than for non opioid-tolerant patients.

Sedation has always been a popular method to alleviate dental anxiety. Dr. Fred Quarnstrom (1996) writes that nitrous oxide has been popular because its effects diminish quickly after application is terminated. "Patients can drive after a relatively short recovery time." It is a safe form of sedative, and "offers a major advantage when we consider an overdose. By removing the source of the drugÉthey will excrete most inhalation agents via the lungs, thus reducing the overdose" (p. 5). While this is a popular method, it is not the best method to alleviate the anxiety that many dental patients have. Dentists instead should be concerned with the working with the patient's anxiety, not simply displacing it for the duration of their visit. The three main areas that show the most promise in decreasing patient anxiety include an increased amount of interaction between dentist and patient, hypnotherapy, and improved dental technology.

The American society of Anesthesiology defines it as being “The Practice of medicine dedicated to the relief of pain and total care of the surgical patient before, during, and after surgery.” Before the creation of modern anesthesia, there were other methods of reducing pain, which often did more harm than good. One of which was alcohol, which was given to the patient so that they could tolerate pain during surgery, but the practice was highly dangerous, particularly in blood loss complications. The other alternative to anesthesia was giving the patient opiates, however they are also quite dangerous as they can become highly addictive and can carry dangerous side effects.

The positive impact of anesthesia advancements over the last 100 years have made the care that patient receives more effective and less life threatening. These innovations have brought about a transformation in the care of the patient. It has improved how the healthcare institutions operate and the patient has benefited from the advancements and so have the medical staff. The anesthesia used today, and the anesthesia used a century ago is similar because it was created for the welfare of the patient. It was produced to help numb or put the patient to sleep during a surgical procedure. However, the difference today is that research and advancements in the medical field have improved and designed more superior drugs over the years and made them

Oral sedatives are pills taken by mouth or dissolved under the tongue about an hour before the procedure. Most patients feel sleepiness and heaviness in their limbs after taking the medication. You are conscious throughout the procedure, however. If you do fall asleep, Dr. Das can easily wake you. Oral sedation is a popular option for patients who hate needles.

Anesthesiologists are responsible for monitoring the amounts of medicine given to the patient, blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. They also help make procedures safe and secure. Before anesthesia was discovered other methods were used to numb or induce sleep. Native Americans and other groups used natural herbs such as coca leaves, marijuana, and Jimsonweed to offer pain relief, sedation, or amnesia during surgery. However, in 1846 a dentist name Dr. William Morton performed a procedure removing a tumor from a patient’s jaw at Massachusetts General Hospital, changing everything. Before the surgery, Dr. Morton soaked a sponge with ether to make his patient go unconscious and after the patient woke up, they claimed to not have any memory