Pharmacologic rationale for anesthetic agents in ambulatory practice

Patients undergoing surgery in the ambulatory setting require anesthetic agents that expedite postoperative recovery, minimize adverse side effects, and contribute to patient satisfaction. The newer anesthetic agents that are currently used in today's practice offer the flexibility needed to provide anesthesia care for a wide variety of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed on an outpatient basis. It is important for the perianesthesia nurse to be familiar with the anesthetic agents used in the operating room to fully understand the influence of these drugs on the patient's recovery process. The role of the perianesthesia nurse is vital in assessing the residual effects of the anesthetic agents and instituting proper nursing interventions during the patient's postanesthesia experience. This article focuses on the rationale for the use of a variety of anesthetic and related agents necessary for the provision of ambulatory anesthesia. The commonly used agents used in ambulatory anesthesia care and their influences on the continuum of care is reviewed.