Chicago — (August 18, 2011) 

The American Society of Anesthesiologists launched a new video today on its lifelinepatients YouTube channel that highlights the need for responsible use of pain medication and proper disposal of the drugs.

“This latest addition to ASA's YouTube patient channel comes on the heels of the release of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan and supports the report’s recommendations by providing public education on the issue,” said Rafael Ortega, M.D. and producer of the video. “ASA’s lifelinepatients YouTube Channel is designed to be a resource for patients on a variety of topics related to anesthesia.”

Other videos available on the lifelinepatients channel include:

• Anesthesia Awareness

• Labor and Delivery

• Pain Medicine

• Anesthesia Considerations for Geriatric Patients

• Stop Smoking Before Surgery

• Sleep Apnea

• Herbal Medicine and Anesthesia

• Bariatric Surgery and Anesthesia

• The Role of the Intensivist

ASA also offers patients additional social media channels to stay current on patient information regarding anesthesia including: Patient Lifeline on Twitter and ASA Vital Health on Facebook. Please also visit lifelinetomodernmedicine.com for patient anesthesia information.

“ASA is committed to meeting patients where they go to find their health information,” said John F. Dombrowski, M.D., Chair of the ASA Committee on Communications. “It is important we empower patients through social media with the anesthesia-related information they need to know to be better prepared for surgery and have more optimal outcomes.”

For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists website at www.asahq.org. For patient information, visit LifeLineToModernMedicine.com

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