The anesthetic implications of opioid addiction

Abstract

With the increasing availability of highly addictive, relatively cheap opioids in tablet form, the classic picture of the patient-addict has changed. Opioid-addicted patients often present for surgery and require anesthesia services. Clinically, their addiction may present in many forms: acute intoxication, increased tolerance to anesthetic agents, a clinical picture of withdrawal, or with any number of associated side effects and complications.