Smoking and its implications in anaesthesia.

Even though there is a general awareness about smoking and its hazards, the problems associated with this unhealthy habit on a patient coming for a surgical procedure which needs anaesthesia is not that widely discussed. This article tries to highlight the importance of cessation of smoking prior to anaesthesia and its effects on various organ systems. Smoking whether active or passive is a well known risk factor for the general health. This in turn has a bad impact on the safety of anaesthesia. There are more than 4000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, including 43 known cancer causing compounds and 400 other toxins, some of which are harmful to the smoker. Some constituents cause cardiovascular problems, increase the blood pressure, heart rate and the systemic vascular resistance. Some cause respiratory problems, Interfering with oxygen uptake, transport and delivery.