Wildfires are occurring more frequently, sparking concern among anesthesiologists.
According to an August article in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, adverse outcomes from anesthesia and surgery may increase in patients exposed to wildfire smoke.
"Wildfire smoke causes inflammation and is known to worsen heart and lung disease and pregnancy outcomes," said senior report author Vijay Krishnamoorthy, MD, chief of the critical care medicine division and associate professor of anesthesiology and population health sciences at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., in the release. "At a time of rising global exposure, anesthesiologists need to be equipped to manage the potential adverse effects of wildfire smoke exposure on perioperative outcomes."
Exposure to fine-particle air pollution, such as the kind associated with wildfire smoke, has documented effects on cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure and stroke.
Key gaps in understanding the full range of negative effects of wildfire smoke on anesthesia and surgery remain. However, they could be addressed by linking geographic smoke exposure data to databases that include surgical outcomes, according to the release. Dr. Krishnamooorthy runs a research group that is developing a better model for understanding the impacts of exposure to particulate pollutants on patients undergoing anesthesia and surgery.