Perioperative management considerations in patients taking prescribed psychoactive medications (including those for depression and Parkinson's disease).

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Given the number of drugs available in the anaesthetist's armamentarium, drug interactions need to be managed. This is particularly true of psychoactive medications which primarily act on the central nervous system, targeting neurotransmitter pathways often affected by anaesthetic agents. This review gives an overview of the potential interactions of commonly used psychoactive medications with anaesthetic agents and hence their perioperative considerations. As anaesthetists will already be very familiar with the benzodiazepines, they will not be discussed here. Electroconvulsive therapy will also not be discussed. RECENT FINDINGS: A wide range of psychoactive medications can interact with drugs commonly used in perioperative care including anaesthetic agents. There is limited clinical research into their effects and hence these interactions are based on known pharmacological actions. SUMMARY: A cautious, pragmatic approach is recommended when managing patients on psychoactive medications requiring anaesthesia as part of their medical care.

The use of social media and online communications in times of pandemic COVID-19.

The use of social media as a tool for professional communication and education in healthcare has been increasing; pros and cons of such platforms were extensively debated in recent years with mixed results. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media use has accelerated to the point of becoming a ubiquitous part of modern healthcare systems. As with any tool in healthcare, its risks and benefits need to be carefully considered. In this article, we review the use of social media in the current pandemic. Importantly, we will illustrate this using experiences from the perspective of large medical organisations and also identify the common pitfalls.