Key result
US anesthesia-related mortality accelerates, showing a ~27% annual increase from 2014 to 2020.
Why the study?
Mortality attributed to anaesthetics and therapeutic gases is a public health concern, but research exploring trends and geographical differences in the United States is limited.
Observational (n=10,157)
Yes
Effect estimate: APC 27.28 (95% CI 20.8-49.4)
Mortality related to anaesthetic toxicity and adverse effects in the US has increased significantly since 2014, with notable disparities among gender, race, and region.
Rising anaesthetic-related mortality since 2014 may warrant clinical vigilance; leaves open prospective research on causes and mitigation.
Background and Aims: Mortality attributed to anaesthetics and therapeutic gases is a public health concern. Recognition of this issue has increased over the years, yet research is limited. This study aimed to explore the trends and geographical differences in the United States. Methods: Deaths attributed to toxicity, adverse effects, and underdosing of anaesthetics were traced from 1999 to 2022 using the data available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) website. The data were analysed according to gender, age, race, and geographic region. Results: Between 1999 and 2022, there were 10,157 anaesthesia-related deaths. The age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) increased from 0.1 to 0.4 from 1999 to 2022. AAMR stayed the same from 1999 to 2014, that is, 0.1 [annual percent change (APC) -0.12; 95% confidence interval (CI): -3.9 to 3.4] and increased from 2014 to 2020 to 0.4 (APC: 27.28; 95% CI: 20.8 to 49.4) and from 2020 to 2022 at 0.42 (APC: 3.54; 95% CI: -4.6 to 17.1). Among Hispanics/Latinos, mortality decreased before having a sharp increase after 2019 (AAMR 0.09, 95% CI: 0.07–0.13). Non-Hispanics (NHs) showed a similar pattern, with a notable increase seen after 2016 (Overall AAMR 0.14, 95% CI: 0.13–0.16). The northeast region exhibited an AAMR of 0.21 (0.18–0.25), 95% CI. Conclusion: Following a period of decline, mortality has increased in the United States since 2014. AAMRs were high among males, NHs, and residents of the Northeast region. The study highlights the increasing mortality along with the presence of disparities among gender, race, and region.
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Tariq et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Anaesthesia-related mortality (n=10,157). Toxicity, adverse effects, and underdosing of anaesthetics was evaluated on Age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) (APC 27.28, 95% CI 20.8-49.4). Anaesthesia-related mortality in the US increased from an age-adjusted rate of 0.1 in 1999 to 0.4 in 2022, with a sharp annual percent change of 27.28 (95% CI 20.8-49.4) from 2014 to 2020.
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