General Anesthetics Flashcards
Anesthesia
Amnesia, analgesia, muscle relaxation, loss of autonomic responses to noxious stimuli, loss of consciousness
EEG Levels 1 and 2
Stupor
EEG level 3
Surgical plane
EEG level 4
Medullary depression
Do benzos cause anesthesia?
No – stupor
Induction vs maintenance anesthesia
One drug is used to induce anesthesia, and another is used to maintain a patient in the surgical plane
Balanced anesthesia
The use of a combination of drugs to produce the effects of an ideal anesthetic. This allows for lower doses of the anesthetics, which avoids complications. Use of adjuncts
Popular adjuncts
Sedative-hypnotics, opioids, NMJ blockers
Inhalation anesthetics
High potency agents that are halogenated derivatives of ether. Sevoflurane, isoflurane, desflurane. All are volatile liquids at room temperature.
Nitrous oxide
Low potency inhalation anesthetic.
How do inhalation anesthetics work?
Current thinking is that they interact with membrane proteins to affect synaptic transmission. Increasing inhibition, decreasing excitiation
How is amount of inhaled anesthetic described?
By its partial pressure in a mixture, can be expressed as a percentage of atmospheric pressure (=760mmHg). So 15.5mmHg is 2%.
What is the maximum partial pressure that is available for a volatile agent?
Its vapor pressure.
MAC
Minimal Alveolar Concentration
The minimum steady state concentration required to suppress movement in response to an incision.
Given as a % of total pressure. 3% in 760mmHG = 3.0 MAC = 22.8mmHg
Is there variation in a dose response relationship for inhalation anesthetics?
No, 99% of individuals are suppressed at 1.2 MAC.
What happens to total mac when multiple agents are administered
They are additive. Agent 1 at 1 MAC, agent 2 at 2 MAC, total effect is 3 MAC of either.
How much inhalation anesthetics needed to suppress autonomics?
More than that to cause analgesia.
What is predictive of anesthetic potency?
Lipid solubility. Greater oil solubility, lower the MAC.