Anesthetic Gases

Excerpt

Anesthetic gases (nitrous oxide, halothane, isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane), also known as inhaled anesthetics, are administered as primary therapy for preoperative sedation and adjunctive anesthesia maintenance to intravenous (IV) anesthetic agents (i.e., midazolam, propofol) in the perioperative setting. Inhaled anesthetics enjoy regular use in the clinical setting due to chemical properties that allow the rapid introduction of an agent into arterial blood via the pulmonary circulation compared to the more circuitous route of venous circulation. This activity reviews the mechanism of action, adverse event profile, and other key factors (e.g., dosing, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, monitoring, relevant interactions) pertinent to members of the interprofessional team for the use of these anesthetic gases.