Chapter 20 (anesthetics) Flashcards
anesthesia
total or partial loss of awareness and sensation
topical, local, and regional anesthesia
all use same drugs, just administered differently
general anesthesia
numbs the brain by using centrally-acting drugs
LAs
local anesthetics; all are ‘caine’ drugs
Without affecting consciousness, they prevent propagation of nerve impulses by blocking Na channels along nerve axon to produce loss of sensation
tetrodotoxin
potent sodium channel blacker found in Japanese puffer fish, which causes muscle paralysis and death due to respiratory failure
pain relieving properties of anesthetics allows…
surgeries to be performed without patients going into shock from pain
topical anesthesia
accomplished using Na channel blocker creams, gels, ointments, or sprays to relieve pain, itching, and irritation due to bites, burns, scrapes, sunburn, or rash
EMLA cream
eutectic mixture of local anesthetic; topically applied LA used to numb skin over a vein for starting IVs in children
Zingo device
delivers lidocaine to skin of children undergoing venipuncture (IV) or line placement. Pressed against skin and pressurized helium gas and lidocaine painlessly numbs skin
*but each device costs $20 and can only be used once, so most people do not use them
topical anesthetics
applied to skin or mucous membranes. Can be used in nose/throat so doctors can do endoscopy or minor surgery.
Used often to intubate awake patients before you put them under to ensure you have the airway secured
Hurricaine spray
10-20% benzocaine spray; tastes very bad, but used to spray down throats/in mouth; Rx only
local anesthesia
produced with Na channel blockers (same drugs as with topical, but just in different formulations)
Novocain
procaine; original packaged and sold LA; not used much anymore b/c it causes more allergic reactions than other caines. Also used for regional blocks for regional anesthesia.
Xylocaine
lidocaine; LA that has less allergic reactions than procaine. Also used for regional blocks for regional anesthesia.
Short acting, lasts 1.5-2.5 hours
Marcaine
bupivacaine; LA that has less allergic reactions than procaine. Also used for regional blocks for regional anesthesia.
Longer acting; 0.5% injection will make numb for a day
local anesthetics
uses 1-2% concentration of caine drugs for injection, compared to like 10% for topical use
Often will add epinepherine to make it more like cocaine b/c then you get Na channel block combined with vasoconstriction, which makes drug last longer and less blood is lost in operation
RA
regional anesthesia; use various LAs to cause nerve block and lead to entire areas of body going numb
interscalene block
common RA approach for upper extremity surgery; use LA to block Na channels in brachial plexus
spinal or epidural blocks
can render insensate everything from ‘nipples down’
N2O
nitrous oxide; laughing gas that has pain-relieving properties, but does not put people to sleep
diethyl ether
original anesthetic gas used to put people to sleep
Not used on humans anymore
*used exclusively for 70 years, but replaced by halothane b/c it makes people vomit, sneeze, cough, gurgle, etc.
chloroform
anesthetic gas used to put people to sleep before ether; not used on humans anymore