Smoking and anaesthesia: the pharmacological implications.

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pharmacology
• Drug Interactions

Background:

• Peri-operative implications of cigarette smoking are known to anaesthetists.
• Wider pharmacological effects of smoking are documented.
• Specific drug interactions relevant to anaesthesia are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review drug interactions of clinical relevance to anaesthetists due to cigarette smoking.
• To explain the mechanisms behind these interactions.
• To aid in mechanistic prediction of interactions involving new drugs.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of publications on cigarette smoking and anaesthesia.
• Focus on specific drug interactions and their mechanisms.
• Incorporation of recent advancements in drug biotransformation and hepatic enzyme classification.

Main Results:

• Overview of clinically relevant drug interactions for anaesthetists.
• Explanation of interaction mechanisms.
• Improved understanding of drug biotransformation aids prediction.

Conclusions:

• Understanding smoking-related drug interactions is crucial for anaesthetists.
• Knowledge of drug biotransformation enhances prediction of anaesthetic drug interactions.
• This review provides a mechanistic basis for managing these interactions.