Pre-medication Attitudes of Anesthesiologists: A Nationwide Survey Study from Turkey

Objective: This study presents a comprehensive investigation of the demographic data, institutional affiliations, pre-operative evaluations, pre-medication preferences, and induction practices of anesthesiologists in Turkey. This study aimed to examine the implementation of these elements and how they reflect on the attitudes and behaviors of Turkish anesthesiologists, particularly in relation to pre-medication. Methods: This study, conducted between 16.06.2012 and 16.06.2013, utilized an electronic questionnaire distributed to practising anesthesiologists nationwide after approval from the Çanakkale 18 Mart University Clinical Research Ethics Committee. The questionnaire was divided into five sections, encompassing 26 questions addressing demographics, institutional information, pre-anaesthetic assessment data, pre-medication data, and induction data. Results: The survey gathered responses from 419 anesthesiologists across Turkey. Our findings indicated that pre-anaesthetic evaluations were predominantly conducted 2-7 days before elective surgery. There were significant variations in the pre-operative evaluations based on the type of institution, with private sector hospitals being less likely to have a dedicated room for pre-anaesthetic evaluation. The study also revealed differences in pre-medication preferences based on sex and age groups, with midazolam, ketamine, and atropine being the most preferred agents. Interestingly, the location of pre-medication administration varied significantly between private and university hospitals. The predominant motivation for pre-medication was a reduction in patient anxiety. Pediatric anesthesia induction was primarily conducted without the presence of family members, and volatile anesthetic agents were the preferred option. The route of pre-medication administration varied with age, with oral pre-medication being more common in pediatric patients, and intravenous administration being preferred in adults. Concerns about respiratory depression were prevalent after pre-medication. Conclusion: This study emphasizes that pre-operative evaluation and pre-medication are routinely carried out by anesthesiologists in Turkey, although with variations among different types of hospitals. Given the patient safety implications and importance of standardization, this study underscores the need for regular similar surveys to monitor trends and inform practice guidelines.