Anaesthetist in Latviapreparing for anaesthesia and what to ask at the consultation
- Certification check: State register of medical practitioners
- Professional body: Latvian Association of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists
- Noticed outdated info? Report it
An anaesthesiologist-intensivist discusses the anaesthetic plan for an upcoming operation and answers questions about risk and recovery afterwards. The conversation helps ease worries before surgery.
The consultation happens over video, so it works the same in Riga, Daugavpils, Liepaja, Jelgava, Jurmala, Ventspils and Rezekne.
No verified doctor in this area yet
We check every certificate by hand, so the list grows step by step. Choose another area or start with a family doctor.
Other Anaesthesiologist-intensivist doctors in Latvia
These doctors have not confirmed their profile yet, so they cannot be booked for now.
- Brigita Aišpure
- Jeļena Aļbova
- Vaira Altmane
- Mareks Andruškevičs
- Antons Antonovs
- Elza Apeināne
Known anaesthetists and pain specialists in Latvia
No names are listed for this specialty yet
We are adding them gradually. Doctors you can book are shown at the top of this page.
When to call 113
An anaesthetist is not a doctor you approach directly with an acute problem. Call 113 if:
- After surgery you develop difficulty breathing, chest pain or marked weakness.
- After discharge home you develop high fever, severe pain or bleeding.
- There is a severe allergic reaction with facial or throat swelling.
- Someone is hard to rouse or confused after anaesthesia.
- After spinal anaesthesia you develop severe back pain, leg weakness or difficulty passing urine.
What an anaesthetist does
Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital states that the anaesthetist provides anaesthesia during surgery, makes procedures painless, reduces patient stress, manages pain after the operation, maintains vital functions during surgery and monitors heart activity, blood pressure and breathing.
Rīga East University Hospital explains that the anaesthetist's work begins before surgery: a consultation one to two weeks beforehand assesses the patient's health, conditions, medicines and possible risks.
A related field is pain medicine, practised by pain specialists who treat chronic pain.
Preparing for surgery
How long test results stay valid. Rīga East University Hospital states that blood and urine tests are usually valid for one month, while an ECG, chest X-ray, CT and echocardiography remain valid for up to a year if the patient's condition has not changed significantly.
Eating and drinking. Rules differ, so follow your own provider's instructions.
| Provider | Rule |
|---|---|
| Rīga East University Hospital | No food for at least six hours before surgery, and no later than two hours before, only up to 250 ml of water |
| AIWA Clinic | No food for 7 to 8 hours and no fluids for 4 hours before planned surgery unless the treating doctor specifies otherwise, plus a light supper the previous evening until 20:00, no smoking for 12 hours and no alcohol for 24 hours before surgery |
Medicines. Bring a list of your medicines to the consultation, since anxiety makes it easy to forget one. If you take blood thinners, the anaesthetist will set out a plan: how many days before to stop, what to substitute and when to restart. Blood pressure and heart rate medicines are usually not taken on the morning of surgery, because anaesthesia lowers blood pressure and slows the pulse. Never stop medication on your own.
Fluids. About two days before surgery the anaesthetist may advise drinking at least 2 to 2.5 litres of water a day to reduce clot risk.
Types of anaesthesia
| Type | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Local anaesthesia | The surgeon injects around the operating site. A sedative is often given, and an anaesthetist need not be present |
| Spinal anaesthesia | Anaesthetic is placed into the spinal canal, numbing the lower body |
| Regional anaesthesia | Anaesthetic is placed around nerves to numb part of an arm or leg |
| General anaesthesia | Given intravenously or through the airway as anaesthetic gas |
Every patient receiving general anaesthesia needs an anaesthetic review. For a completely healthy person the conversation can take place on the morning of surgery, while for spinal anaesthesia it usually happens the day before.
As with any medical procedure, anaesthesia can have side effects such as drowsiness and confusion, nausea or dizziness.
How someone becomes an anaesthetist in Latvia
- Six years of medical study and a doctor's degree, at RSU or the University of Latvia.
- Rīga East University Hospital states that after basic medical studies the anaesthetist spends a further five years learning about types of anaesthesia, airway management, pain control, and how to act if bleeding or a serious allergic reaction begins during surgery.
- Programme page: RSU residency programme.
- The certificate is valid for 5 years. Recertification requires 250 continuing education points plus a 48.38 EUR fee.
- Entry in the practitioners register must be renewed every 5 years.
How to verify this doctor's certificate
- 1Open registri.vi.gov.lv/rap.
- 2Enter the surname or practitioner identifier in the search box.
- 3Confirm the specialty reads "Anesteziologs, reanimatologs", or "Algologs" for pain treatment.
- 4Check the certificate validity date.
- 5In practice the provider assigns the anaesthetist, so what matters more is when the consultation is and what to bring.
Where consultations happen
Rīga
- Rīga East University Hospital
where outpatient anaesthetic appointments are booked in advance on 67000610 on weekdays. The hospital states the consultation should take place two weeks before surgery, once all necessary tests are done. Laboratory samples can be given at the "Gaiļezers" laboratory on weekdays from 08:00 to 16:00 without an appointment, with a referral.
- Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital
where the consultation also produces recommendations for the family doctor on preparing the patient for planned surgery.
- Piramīda clinic
which states that an anaesthetic consultation can be obtained even if the operation will take place at a different provider.
- AIWA Clinic
where the anaesthetic review happens at least one day before surgery under general or regional anaesthesia.
What to ask at the consultation
- Which type of anaesthesia is planned and why that one.
- How pain will be managed after surgery.
- Which medicines to take on the day and which to stop beforehand.
- How long you will stay and when you can go home.
- What recovery and the return to normal life will involve.
A practical tip: write the answers down, since it is hard to recall everything afterwards. If you cannot remember all your medicine names, ask your family doctor to prepare a list.
What happens on the day
- Before surgery you may be given a tablet or intravenous medication to prepare you for anaesthesia. This is called premedication and is not always needed.
- You are taken from the ward to a preparation room in the surgical block near the theatre.
- Glasses and contact lenses must be removed, since the anaesthetist may need to place a face mask.
- Placing the breathing tube requires an instrument that can damage loose teeth, dentures or crowns, and patients are informed of this risk.
- Never start eating or drinking without permission from a doctor or nurse.
Cost and exemptions
Anaesthesia is not usually booked separately; it is part of the operation. In the public system an operation as an outpatient or in a day hospital costs 4.00 EUR, major operations can carry a 31.00 EUR co-payment, and inpatient care is 10.00 EUR per day.
- Anaesthetic consultation with a referralPrice EUR: 4.00Source: NVD
- Operation as outpatient or in day hospitalPrice EUR: 4.00Source: NVD
- Co-payment for a major operationPrice EUR: 31.00Source: NVD
- Anaesthesia in private surgeryPrice EUR: charged separately from the operation priceSource: RAKUS
AIWA Clinic states that patients exempt from the patient co-payment should bring proof on admission, such as a certificate of low-income family or person status, a politically repressed person's certificate, documentation of Chernobyl clean-up participation, or a first-group disability certificate.
Professional associations and oversight
The specialty body is the association "Latvijas Anesteziologu un reanimatologu asociācija", registration number 40008004621, contact Iveta Golubovska, anest.lv.
Pain medicine is represented by "Latvijas Sāpju izpētes biedrība" (Latvian Association for the Study of Pain), registration number 40008091807, contact Mihails Arons.
Certificates are issued by the Certification Council of the Latvian Medical Association. The sector regulator is the Health Inspectorate.
Patient rights and complaints
If you have doubts about the quality of care, raise them first with the provider's management. If that does not resolve it, a written submission goes to the Health Inspectorate no later than two years after the alleged infringement, and is reviewed within 30 days, extendable to four months in complex cases. The procedure is set out on the Health Inspectorate site.
FAQ
How long before surgery must I stop eating?
The rules differ. Rīga East University Hospital states at least six hours without food and up to 250 ml of water no later than two hours before, while AIWA Clinic states 7 to 8 hours without food and 4 hours without fluids. Follow your own provider's instructions.
When does the anaesthetic consultation happen?
Rīga East University Hospital states it takes place two weeks before surgery. For a completely healthy person the conversation can happen on the morning of surgery.
Should I stop my medication?
Only on the doctor's instruction. The anaesthetist sets out a plan for blood thinners, but you must never stop medication on your own.
Is anaesthesia safe?
As with any medical procedure, side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, nausea or dizziness are possible. Preparation and the consultation are part of the safety process.
Can I have the consultation somewhere other than where the surgery will be?
Piramīda clinic states that this is possible.
This page was reviewed by Sergejs Ponomarjovs, from the E-Medicīna team. More about us.
Sources, last-reviewed footer and fact-check
No corrections logged yet.
Related specialties
Last reviewed: 8 August 2026
Report an error: error@emd.lv