Inhalant Anesthetics Flashcards
purpose of inhalant anesthetics
- produce general anesthesia by:
- rendering patient unconscious
- providing some degree of muscle relaxation
- do not have any inherent analgesic properties
- suitable for wide variety of species
main difference with inhalant anesthetics
administered and in large part removed from the body via the lungs
do not rely on hepatic metabolism and renal elimination
how inhalants are administered
liquid anesthetics are first vaporized and then administered in an enriched concentration of oxygen via a breathing circuit to the patient
requires specialty equipment (heavy, bulky)
equipment needed for inhalants
- vaporizer
- source of oxygen
- anesthetic machine
- breathing circuits
- scavenging equipment
scavenging equipment is essential to:
help minimize occupational hazards involving waste gases
potency of inhalants
is an expression of the relationship between the administered dose of an inhalant and the anesthetic effect that is obtained
MAC is the most commonly used expression of potency of inhalants
MAC
minimum alveolar concentration of anesthetic which prevents gross, purposeful movement in 50% of patients exposed to a noxious stimulus
similar to ED50
determined in young healthy animals without use of additional CNS depressant drugs
mirrors the brain partial pressure of the inhalant
MAC of isoflurane
Dog: 1.14-1.5%
Cat: 1.28-1.6%
Horse 1.3-1.6%
MAC of sevoflurane
Dog: 2.1-2.4%
Cat: 2.6-3.1%
Horse: 2.3-2.8%
MAC of desflurane
Dog: 7.2-10.3%
Cat: 9.8-10.3%
Horse: 7.0-8.0%
general guideline for MAC during surgery
anesthesia is begun at 2-3 times MAC for the particular agent and anesthesia can be maintained at 1.5-2 times agent’s MAC value
will depend on individual patient, other drugs used and type of surgery
factors that can increase MAC
- hyperthermia
- hypernatremia
- drugs that cause CNS stimulation (ephedrine)
variables that decrease MAC
- drugs such as premedications and induction agents
- use of local anesthetics
- mean BP below 50 mmHg
- hyponatremia
- hypothermia
- substantial alterations in respiratory gases
- severe anemia
- age of patient
- pregnancy
factors that do not alter MAC
- gender
- normal respiratory gas concentrations
- duration of anesthesia
- metabolic acidosis or alkalosis
- moderate anemia
vapors
administered as a vapor mixed in a gas (usually oxygen) but at ambient temperature and pressure exist as liquids
saturated vapor pressure of a liquid
escaping gas molecules from a liquid exert pressure on the sides of the container
highest anesthetic concentration that can be achieved is determined by:
saturated vapor pressure of the agent
equation for maximum percentage of inhalant that can be achieved
anesthetic vapor pressure
————————————– x 100
atmospheric pressure
atmopsheric pressure at sea level = 760 mmHg
delivered concentration of anesthetic
percent setting that is on the vaporizer dial
inspired or inspiratory concentration (FI) of an anesthetic
concentration of inhalant that the patient inspires
What should Fi be if patient is apneic?
inspired concentration of anesthetic is 0