Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have become increasingly popular as both diabetic and weight loss therapies. One effect of this class of medication is delayed gastric emptying, which may impact the risk of aspiration during anesthesia delivery. ⋯ This study provides preliminary evidence that GLP-1RAs may affect gastric emptying and residual gastric contents following an overnight fast and two hours after clear liquids, which may have implications for aspiration risk during anesthetic care.
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Even with nearly 100% compliance with prophylactic antibiotic protocols, many surgical patients (> 5%) develop surgical site infections, some caused by pathogens transmitted from the anesthesia workspace (e.g., anesthesia machine), including multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Reducing contamination of the anesthesia workspace substantively reduces the risk of surgical site infections. We estimated the percentage of hospital patients at risk for health care-associated infections who may benefit from the application of basic preventive measures under the control of anesthesia practitioners (e.g., their hand hygiene). ⋯ Because approximately two-thirds of patients who receive an intravenous antibiotic also undergo an anesthetic, greater use of effective infection control measures in the anesthesia operating room workspace has the potential to substantively reduce overall rates of hospital infections.