• P Serrano-Aguilar, J López-Bastida, B Duque González, A Pedrosa Guerra, J A Pino Capote, F González Miranda, A Rodríguez Pérez, J Erdocia Eguía, B Vila Roig, and Red IRYSS.
• Servicio de Evaluación y Planificación, Servicio Canario de Salud, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. pserrano@gobiernodecanarias.org
• Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim. 2005 Apr 1;52(4):193-9.

ObjectivesTo identify factors that explain anesthesiologists' inappropriate use of preoperative tests in asymptomatic patients scheduled for elective surgery.Material And MethodsA validated questionnaire was sent to anesthesiologists at university hospitals in the Canary Islands. Information about preoperative testing patterns and reasons for selecting tests was gathered.ResultsThe questionnaire was self-administered by 66 anesthesiologists (68% of the total). Scientific knowledge was not the reason why most respondents ordered preoperative tests in asymptomatic individuals. That was the opinion of 95% of anesthesiologists for chest x-rays, 82% for electrocardiograms, and 68% for laboratory tests. Clinical history and a medical examination gave sufficient information for selecting patients in need of specific tests in the opinion of 77.19% of the respondents. Half did not agree that routine electrocardiograms and laboratory tests should be abandoned. The justification for these tests was coverage of medical malpractice liability for 68.42%. Most considered that the need to order preoperative tests in asymptomatic patients increased after age 40.ConclusionsAlthough anesthesiologists admit that their request for preoperative tests in asymptomatic individuals is not supported by scientific evidence, the quest for safety and legal protection from the consequences of potential adverse consequences of providing anesthesia affects the selection of preoperative tests for asymptomatic patients.

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