Skip to content
Epomedicine
Epomedicine

Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

  • Medical Students
  • Bedside Clinics
  • Case Reports
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Blog
  • Surgical Skills
  • Medical Mnemonics
Epomedicine

Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

ASA Classification: Made Easy

Epomedicine, May 26, 2023Aug 16, 2023

Last updated on August 16, 2023

The purpose of the system is to assess and communicate a patient’s pre-anesthesia medical co-morbidities. The classification system alone does not predict the perioperative risks, but used with other factors (e.g., type of surgery, frailty, level of deconditioning), it can be helpful in predicting perioperative risks.

ASA gradeDefinitionMortality
INormal healthy0.05%
IIControlled mild systemic disease; no functional limitation0.5%
IIIUncontrolled severe systemic disease; functional limitationupto 5%
IVConstant threat to lifeupto 25%
VMoribund patients (not expected to survive 24 hours)upto 50%
VIBrain dead100%
Addition of “E” denotes Emergency.
ASA Classification

Some important examples

Smoker: ASA 2

Alcohol:

  • Social drinker: ASA 2
  • Alcohol dependence or abuse: ASA 3

Pregnancy: ASA 2

Obesity:

  • BMI 30-40: ASA 2
  • BMI >40: ASA 3

MI, CVA, TIA, CAD/stents:

  • >3 months: ASA 3
  • <3 months: ASA 4

Diabetes, Hypertension:

  • Controlled: ASA 2
  • Uncontrolled: ASA 3

Lung disease:

  • Mild: ASA 2
  • COPD: ASA 3

Further reading: http://www.kpcolorado.net/sites/default/files/files/KASC_2-04A_ASA_Classification_made_easy.pdf

1 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
PGMEE, MRCS, USMLE, MBBS, MD/MS AnesthesiaDental

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Epomedicine. ASA Classification: Made Easy [Internet]. Epomedicine; 2023 May 26 [cited 2025 May 26]. Available from: https://epomedicine.com/medical-students/asa-classification-made-easy/.

Pre-clinical (Basic Sciences)

Anatomy

Biochemistry

Community medicine (PSM)

Embryology

Microbiology

Pathology

Pharmacology

Physiology

Clinical Sciences

Anesthesia

Dermatology

Emergency medicine

Forensic

Internal medicine

Gynecology & Obstetrics

Oncology

Ophthalmology

Orthopedics

Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)

Pediatrics

Psychiatry

Radiology

Surgery

RSS Ask Epomedicine

  • What to study for Clinical examination in Orthopedics?
  • What is the mechanism of AVNRT?

Epomedicine weekly

  • About Epomedicine
  • Contact Us
  • Author Guidelines
  • Submit Article
  • Editorial Board
  • USMLE
  • MRCS
  • Thesis
©2025 Epomedicine . All rights reserved.