ANAESTHESIOLOGY Flashcards
What is anaesthesia?
Controlled temporary loss of sensation which is induced for medical purposes.
What are the types of anaesthetics?
Local anaesthetics
Inhalational anaesthetics
General anaesthetics
What happens to the cell when there is noxious stimuli?
Transient cation receptor channels open and allow the influx of positive ions to the cell for cell depolarisation of first order neurons to the spinal cord. On the membrane surface of the cell, voltage gated Na+ channels are present which have an intracellular gate to control flow. When depolarisation occurs, this allows influx of Na+ but the intracellular gate shuts to prevent further influx, and only opens again when there is cell depolarisation.
What are the types of local anaesthetic administrations?
Topically on the skin
OR
Infiltration through the skin, such as injection directly to muscle or near the spinal cord.
How do local anaesthetics work?
They bind to voltage gated Na+ channels on the cytoplasmic surface and prolong its inactivation for analgesia.
They tend to target small and myelinated neurons.
In large doses, they can cause loss of temperature, touch and motor function. Because they are quickly absorbed by the bloodstream, to prolong mechanism of action it is typically administered with norepinephrine.
They have a reduced effectivity in acidic tissues that are hypoxic or infected because they become ionised.
What are the types of local anaesthetics?
Ester anaesthetics
Amide anaesthetics
These must be administered with epinephrine, a vasoconstrictor to ensure the aanaesthetic does not enter systemic circulation.
What are the ester anaesthetics?
Includes cocaine and Privocaine. Ester anaesthetics are hydrolysed in the bloodstream to plasma esterases.
What are the physiological effects of cocaine?
Cocaine reduces the breakdown of catecholeamines, causing the body to go into a sympathetic state with vasoconstriction, tachycardia and arrythmia.
Cocaine reduces the breakdown of dopamine which can result in addiction.
What are the amide anaesthetics?
Lidocaine, bupivicaine and levobupivicaine- these are hydrolysed in the liver by cytochrome P450 enzymes.
->Lidocaine has a short duration of action and is the most frequently used amide anaesthetics.
What are the side effects of local anaesthetics?
They can reduce breakdown of inhibitory neurons like GABA and glycine and in high doses, can lead to CNS depression and respiratory arrest.
Which amide anaesthetics has a high cardio toxicity?
Bupivicaine- when injected into blood vessels, it results in myocardial depression. It has the longest duration time of all the amide anaesthetics and is used in C section.
What are the stages of anaesthetics?
1) Induction: administering the anaesthetic from analgesia to loss of consciousness of patient.
2) Excitement phase: downregulation of inhibitory neurons causes increased muscle tone and reflexes. There is vomiting, greater heart and respiratory rate and pupil dilation, respiratory compromise can occur here.
3) Surgical/Maintenance phase: Skeletal muscle relaxes, vomiting cessation and eye movements stop.
Reversal phase
or
4)Medullary phase: Overdose of anaesthetic results in medullary and brain stem depression, causing respiration cessation.
How do general anaesthetics work?
General anaesthetics are used to produce unconsciousness, loss of reflexes and analgesia. It can be divided into inhalational and intravenous anaesthetics.
They act on inhibitory GABA receptors present in the CNS to prolong the influx of Cl- for hyperpolarisation to suppress neuron excitability and induce a state of loss of consciousness.
What are the targets of general anaesthetics?
They enter the bloodstream and act on the thalamus and reticular activating system for unconsciousness. They act on the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala for amnesia. It acts on the spinal cord for loss of motor activity.
What are the side effects of general anaesthetics?
Causes decreased cardiac contractility, sympathetic inhibition and respiratory depression. At high concentrations, all brain functions are depressed which can lead to death.
What are the intravenous general anaesthetics?
Etomidate, propafol and thiopentene sodium
-> These are delivered into the bloodstream and target the brain within 30 seconds for GABA agonist to induce hyperpolarisation via Cl- influx. They are then metabolised by the liver.
What are the properties of intravenous anaesthetics?
Rapid onset, which are metabolised in the liver. It can cardiac suppression and respiratory suppression and can cause anaphylaxis.
What are the properties of thiopentene sodium?
Short acting intravenous general anaesthetic which has an analgesic effect and is used in the induction phase. It causes apnoea following administration, and respiratory depression, cardiovascular suppression so drop in blood pressure.
When given intrarterially, causes severe limb pain and becomes life threatening.CANNOT be given for those with porphyria.