Who is most at risk from using anesthesia?

Who is most at risk from using anesthesia?

Samuel Seelig (Anesthesiologist, Los Angeles, California) gives expert video advice on: What are the risks of general anesthesia?; Is it true that some people remain aware during surgery, despite anesthesia?; What is the safest method of anesthesia? and more...

Common sense rules with this question. The patients most at risk for anaesthesia are the patients who are sickest when they arrive for their surgical procedure. Patients with severe cardiac disease, those that have chest pain or shortness of breath, unstable angina, patients that have had histories of congestive heart failure are at risk under anaesthesia. Patients with respiratory problems, those with severe COPD, heavy smokers, patients with asthma, they're at risk. Patients with multi-system organ disease, kidney failure and liver failure are at risk. The morbidly obese patient is at risk; they tend to have more complications during and after surgery.