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Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

Inhalation anesthetics are drugs that induce general anesthesia upon inhalation. They work by increasing the sensitivity of GABAA receptors or inhibiting NMDA receptors, leading to a decrease in central nervous system activity. The depth of anesthesia can be rapidly adjusted by changing the concentration of the inhaled gas. Some common examples of inhalational anesthetics include volatile liquids like isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and gases like xenon and nitrous oxide. Isoflurane, a...

Microbes and Climate Change

Microbes and Climate Change

Microorganisms are pivotal agents in Earth's biogeochemical cycles, significantly influencing climate dynamics through their metabolic activities. These microbes modulate the levels of key greenhouse gases by both contributing to and helping mitigate climate change.Microbial Contributions to Greenhouse Gas EmissionsRising global temperatures accelerate microbial metabolism, which, in turn, speeds up the decomposition of organic matter. This process releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) through...

Global Climate Change

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.

Stages of General Anesthesia

Stages of General Anesthesia

Various sedation levels offer significant advantages in facilitating procedural interventions for patients undergoing medical or invasive surgical procedures. These levels span from anxiolysis to general anesthesia, providing a spectrum of sedative effects to cater to specific patient needs. Anxiolysis reduces anxiety and is achieved through minimal sedation, enabling patients to remain awake and responsive while feeling more at ease during the procedure. This level can benefit minor...

General Anesthesia: Overview

General Anesthesia: Overview

Anesthesia is a medical procedure that uses drugs for CNS suppression to enable painless surgeries and procedures. The selection of anesthetics is influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties, side effects, and patient characteristics. Various types of anesthesia include general, local, regional, spinal, and inhalational.
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...

Other Factors Affecting Respiration Centers

Other Factors Affecting Respiration Centers

Breathing is primarily an involuntary activity regulated by the brainstem respiratory centers. However, it can also be consciously controlled, allowing us to hold our breath or take deeper breaths when needed. This voluntary control is facilitated by the cerebral motor cortex, which bypasses the medullary centers to stimulate the respiratory muscles directly.
However, the ability to hold one's breath voluntarily is not limitless. When the CO2 concentration in the blood reaches a critical level,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

In Vitro Method to Control Concentrations of Halogenated Gases in Cultured Alveolar Epithelial Cells

In Vitro Method to Control Concentrations of Halogenated Gases in Cultured Alveolar Epithelial Cells

Published on: October 23, 2018

Inhalation anaesthetics and climate change.

M P Sulbaek Andersen¹, S P Sander, O J Nielsen

¹Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Mail Stop 183-901, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA. mads@sulbaek.dk

British Journal of Anaesthesia

|October 12, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Inhalation anesthetics like isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane significantly contribute to climate change. Their global warming potentials (GWPs) are substantial, comparable to emissions from power plants or cars.

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Published on: October 16, 2013

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Atmospheric Chemistry
Climate Change Research

Background:

Rising atmospheric CO2 is a primary driver of climate change, but numerous other agents contribute to radiative forcing.
Inhalation anesthetics such as isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane are emitted during medical procedures and impact climate.
Quantifying their climate impact requires understanding their infrared absorption properties and atmospheric lifetimes.

Purpose of the Study:

To quantitatively assess the climate impact of common inhalation anesthetics.
To determine the radiative forcing contribution of isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane.
To calculate the Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) for these anesthetic agents.

Main Methods:

Infrared (IR) spectra of isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane were measured.
Calculations were performed to determine their radiative forcing, considering wavelength-dependent absorption.
Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) were established for a 100-year time horizon.

Main Results:

Radiative efficiencies were determined: 0.453 W m(-2) ppb(-1) for isoflurane, 0.469 W m(-2) ppb(-1) for desflurane, and 0.351 W m(-2) ppb(-1) for sevoflurane.
100-year GWPs were calculated: 510 for isoflurane, 1620 for desflurane, and 210 for sevoflurane.
These values highlight significant climate impacts per anesthetic agent.

Conclusions:

The average climate impact of one anesthetic procedure is equivalent to approximately 22 kg of CO2.
Global emissions of these anesthetics have a climate impact comparable to CO2 emissions from a coal-fired power plant or one million cars.
Reducing anesthetic emissions is crucial for mitigating climate change.