[Perioperative Management of Medications Used for Comorbidities: Preface and Comments].

Surgical patients often take medications for preex- isting diseases. It is recommended to continue antihy- pertensive agents on the day of surgery in hyperten- sive patients. Two exceptions are angiotensin II recep- tor antagonist (ARB) and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) because of increased risk of hypotension during anesthesia. It is important to re- sume antihypertensive agents within a day or a few days postoperatively. Antipsychotic agents and antiepi- leptic drugs often cause arrhythmias and hypotension. The risk of neuroleptic malignant syndrome and sero- tonin syndrome should be noted. The patients on chronic opioids should require meticulous perioperative pain manageient Decisions about continuing or with- holding medications should be made on a case-by-case basis.