3. Inhalational Anesthetics Flashcards
apneic threshold
highest blood CO2 level at which a pt can remain apneic if holding their breath
IOW: how high their CO2 can climb before they have to take a breath
high apneic threshold
pt who can hold breath longer
have less drive to breathe
low apneic threshold
pt who cant hold breath as long
have more drive to breathe
what can raise the apneic threshold
volatile agents
narcotics
propofol
versed
how do anesthetics raise apneic threshold
suppress pts drive to breathe
it will take higher CO2 to stimulate breathing
what lowers the apneic threshold
pain
how does pain lower apneic threshold
stimulates respirations (faster RR)
difficult to hold breath while in pain
Steps to get pt to spontaneously ventilate prior to wakeup
- Reverese muscle paralysis (if necessary)
- allow pt CO2 to increase
- slow RR
- allow them to go completely apneic - pt begins to breath when apneic threshold is reached
- aka - when the CO2 is high enough
hypoxic drive
lowest oxygen level at which the pt can no longer remain apneic
*makes pts w/high CO2 (smokers) breathe
- if pt is holding breath, lowest level of O2 that a pt can tolerate before they have to take breath
- O2 level is stimulating pt breathing
hypoxic drive level (normal pt)
PaO2 ~ 60mmHg
SpO2 = 90%
- if CO2 didnt stimulate breathing, a normal pt could hold their breath until SpO2 dropped to 90%
do smokers have high or low CO2 levels?
high
decrease alveolar gas exchange
decrease exhalation
increase CO2
what stimulates breath in healthy pts
hypercarbia»hypoxia
high CO2»low O2
what stimulates breath in pts w/lung disease
hypoxia»hypercarbia
low O2»high CO2
*less responsive to CO2 increase
apneic threshold and hypoxic drive correlation
inverse
central chemoreceptors
responsible for apneic threshold
respond to change in [H+] in CSF which is determined by PaCO2
peripheral chemoreceptors
responsible for hypoxic drive
respond to changes in PaO2
Primary reasons volatile agents are given
- prevent movement (non-paralyzed pts)
- prevent anesthetic awareness (all pts)
is pt ready for surgical incision?
- is pt going to move?
- is pt going to remember?
is it easier to prevent movement or awareness during surgery?
awareness is easier than movement
*takes more VA to keep someone STILL than it does to keep them ASLEEP
if we give enough inhalational agent to keep someone STILL…
its impossible for them to have awareness
if we only need the agent to prevent awareness and not movement
we dont need to give as much agent
2 ways to prevent MOVEMENT
- give paralytics
- give high enough concentration of volatile agent
why would you give a paralytic, even if the surgeon doesnt require one?
to keep the pt still withouth having to keep them as deeply anesthetized
higher concentration of volatile agent can make __________ more likely
hypotension
Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC)
minimum alveolar concentration of an exhaled gas that will prevent movement in 50% of pts during incision
*a pt is 50% likely to move if they are exhaling the MAC percentage of agent
< 1 MAC means
more than 50% likely to move
> 1 MAC means
less than 50% likely to move
1 MAC Desflurane
6%