Impact of chronic medications in the perioperative period: mechanisms of action and adverse drug effects (Part I)

Abstract

This review article will discuss the pharmacology of the most common used chronic medications in patients undergoing elective surgical procedures. The mechanism of action and adverse side effects of cardiovascular medications (e.g., beta blockers, alpha-2 agonist, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, etc), lipid-lowering drugs, gastrointestinal medications (H2-blockers, proton pump inhibitors), pulmonary medications (inhaled β-agonists, anticholinergics,), antibiotics (tetracyclines, clindamycin and macrolide, linezolid, etc), opioids and non-opioids analgesics (NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors, acetaminophen), gabapentanoids, erectile dysfunction drugs, psychotropic drugs (tricyclic antidepressants [TCAs], monoamine oxidase inhibitors [MAOI], selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRIs], serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors [SNRIs], and psychotropic drugs will be briefly reviewed.