Nitrous Oxide Flashcards
What are some advantages for patient control with nitrous?
- Anxiolytic
- Decrease gag reflex
- Tolerate longer appointments
- Elevate pain threshold
After administering 100% O2 for 2-3 minutes at 4-6L / min, wat what increments should the Nitrous be increased until desired level reached?
10-20% increments
Does nitrous have to stay up the entire procedure?
No. Increase for injection, then do operative at lower concentration
How long should 100% O2 be given once the procedure has been completed using nitrous?
3-5 minutes
Is nitrous biotransformed in the body?
No, excreted unchaged
What is an important consideration for nitrous administration if the patient has an inner ear infection, upper respiratory infection, emphysema, chronic bronchitis?
Nitrous diffuses into closed airspaces
What is the danger of terminating nitrous and not allowing patient to breathe out on 100% O2?
Diffusion hypoxia
Why is diffusion hypoxia dangerous in children?
Children desaturate quicker than adults
What are 4 things that increase the side effects of nitrous oxide?
- Excess of 50% nitrous
- Long procedures
- Rapid fluctuations in concentrations
- Rapid induction and reversal
What will a patient feel with 10-20% nitrous?
Numbness and tingling, but not to clinical significance
What will a patient feel with 20-40% nitrous?
- Perioral numbness
- Hand and feet numbness
- Sounds at a distance
- Sleepy
- Analgesia
- Heavy or floating
What will a patient feel with 40-60% nitrous?
Sweating, amnesia, lethargy, dreaming, inappropriate laughing, nausea
What will a patient feel with more than 60% nitrous?
- Unconsciouss
2. Nausea, vomiting
What must be charted with nitrous administration?
L/min, percent O2, and percent Nitrous, time administered, 100% prior and after
