[Indicators of preoperative anxiety and anxiolysis from the anesthesiological viewpoint].

In recent times preoperative anxiety is again discussed as an important influential factor for perioperative complications. The anaesthesiologist may be important to identify and control the patients' anxiety although his time while on premedication visit is rather limited. The present article deals with the different aspects of preoperative anxiety, argues about possible psychological and physiological characteristics of anxiety and describes conventionally used psychophysiological testing for the identification of anxiety. Referring to the literature, different therapeutical options are given. Psychological techniques for reducing and controlling preoperative anxiety might be an important topic for further research, especially as far as their influence on perioperative morbidity and mortality is concerned.