Before administering local anesthesia, what should the medical assistant check?

Before administering local anesthesia, it is crucial to check the allergy history of the patient. This is essential because local anesthetics can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. Knowing a patient's prior reactions to medications, especially anesthetics, helps prevent potentially serious complications during a procedure.

While it may also be important to monitor blood pressure, pulse rate, and the patient's weight in different clinical contexts, they are not specific prerequisites for the administration of local anesthesia. Ensuring that there is no history of allergy to local anesthetics directly impacts the safety and effectiveness of the procedure, making it the priority in this scenario.