Screening
There is no screening test for susceptibility to MH that is applicable to the general population. However, all patients who require an anaesthetic should be asked as part of their assessment if anyone in their family had problems with any anaesthetic drug.[1][7] If problems were encountered, patients should be asked if that person was admitted to the intensive care unit unexpectedly after surgery. These questions are not specific for MH, but prompt a more detailed examination of the family history. Ideally the patient should be asked these questions early by their primary care physician, because months may be required to review records and fully evaluate the potential for MH.
If there is a family history of muscle disease or MH susceptibility, it is appropriate to obtain an evaluation by a neurologist who cares for patients with muscle disease before scheduling an anaesthetic evaluation for surgery. If there is a history of creatine kinase elevation in the family, it may be useful to obtain creatine kinase pre-operatively.[7]
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