Medications to Avoid Before Plastic Surgery & Their Effect on Anesthesia

November 15, 2024

The first priority at the Centre for Plastic Surgery in any surgical procedure is safety. Part of ensuring that safety involves preparing for all the aspects of surgery, including anesthesia. Not only is it important to be in your best physical condition before receiving anesthesia, but we also know that certain medications that you take regularly may affect the way your body responds to anesthetics. That is why it is critical to disclose any and all substances you are taking with nursing staff and your surgeon before receiving anesthesia, no matter how routine or benign the medication may seem. The substances that should be disclosed include not only prescription medications, but also over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements, as well as recreational alcohol and drug consumption. 

Weight Loss Medications Effect on Safety During Plastic Surgery 

A medication we are seeing more patients use recently are medications targeted at maintaining diabetes as well as weight loss. These new classes of medication called Semaglutides (Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.) and Tirzepatides (Mounjaro, Zepbound, etc.) or GLP1 agonists, are medications that mimic a naturally occurring hormone called glucagon. These medications increase your insulin release and also slow down your stomach emptying, which causes you to feel full sooner after eating. Patients may use these drugs for treatment of Type 2 diabetes, or for weight loss. However, the fact that your stomach doesn't empty as fast may put you at risk of vomiting during your surgery. That is why it is very important to disclose the use of these medications with your doctor and discontinue your Semaglutide or Tirzepatide medication as directed one to two weeks before surgery.

Other Common Medications That Effect Anesthesia

Many other medications can affect your anesthetics and negatively impact your health and safety if not discontinued as directed before surgery:

Blood pressure medications: blood pressure medications that affect your body's electrolytes or may amplify blood pressure responses to anesthetics.

Blood thinners: certain blood thinners are problematic and can cause issues in terms of bleeding related to the surgical procedure itself.

Pain medications: pain medications may block your normal response to other medicines vital to anesthesia and your surgical procedure.

All the medications you are currently taking will be reviewed with specific instructions provided to you on if and when to discontinue each medication before surgery.

Failing to discontinue these and other medications before a surgical procedure may cause necessary medications and processes to be significantly adjusted to accommodate these medications. In some cases, failing to discontinue certain medications can even cause a surgical procedure to be rescheduled entirely to ensure your safety.

How do I Ensure that the Medications I am Taking are Safe Before Surgery?

The best way to ensure that your surgery is as safe as possible is by being fully transparent with your nursing staff and physicians regarding the medications you are taking. At the Centre for Plastic Surgery, your consultation and pre-operative appointments are the perfect opportunity to sit down and discuss your medical history and the medications you are taking with our nursing staff or directly with your surgeon and examine how these medications may affect surgery. 

Get Connected With Our Board-Certified Surgeons to Discuss Your Medication

Our board-certified plastic surgeons at the Centre for Plastic Surgery are here for you and your safety. Get connected with us to talk about all of your medications prior to your surgery to keep you safe and healthy. Do not hesitate to ask about any of the medications that you're taking and whether or not they need to be discontinued prior to receiving anesthesia. The first priority in any surgical procedure is safety, and the Centre for Plastic Surgery is committed to providing the highest level of care for our patients.