Why the study?
Athletes present a unique challenge for anesthesiologists due to their specific physiology, demands of their sport, and potential drug interactions, requiring specific anesthetic dosing and management strategies.
Athletes require specialized anesthetic management due to unique physiological changes, potential drug interactions, and anti-doping regulations.
Athlete-specific physiology may warrant adjusted anesthetic dosing; leaves open prospective validation of performance-enhancing substance interactions.
Athletes present a unique challenge for anesthesiologists because of their specific physiology and the demands of their sport. Anesthesia for athletes requires careful consideration of factors such as muscle mass, hydration status, and the potential for drug interactions with performance-enhancing substances. Additionally, the use of specific anesthetic agents, such as inhalational and intravenous anesthetics, requires adjustments to the dosing regimen to ensure adequate anesthesia. Sports anesthesia is a subspecialty that encompasses not only expert knowledge regarding regional and general anesthesia and pain management but also the pathophysiology unique to athletes and psychological concerns associated with professional sports and complete knowledge about World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines as well as substance abuse. Moreover, the pressure of being scrutinized by a broad circle of concerned persons, including family members, team members, coaches, club owners, media, and fans, makes this an area of excellence and expertise. This review highlights how an athlete's physiological changes can alter anesthetic drug effects. Considering the importance of vigilant preoperative assessment, selecting the proper anesthesia plan, and perioperative strategies for better recovery and performance outcomes.
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Batchi et al. (2025) studied this question.
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