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Related Concept Videos

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
General Anesthesia: Overview01:24

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...
Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview01:20

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...
Stages of General Anesthesia01:22

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...
Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Organ Perfusion Rate01:15

Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Organ Perfusion Rate

Drug distribution within the body is a complex process influenced by several factors, including perfusion rate, the rate at which the bloodstream transports drugs to tissue. This limitation becomes particularly significant when dealing with highly lipophilic drugs. In such cases, the rate at which the drug can move across membranes is crucial, and if the membrane is highly permeable to the drug, distribution becomes rate-limited by perfusion.
Perfusion rate-limited distribution relies on the...
Local Anesthetics: Pharmacokinetics01:13

Local Anesthetics: Pharmacokinetics

The potency and duration of action of local anesthetics (LAs) are determined by their pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetics describes how LAs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated from the body. When administered to the vascular tissues, LAs are quickly absorbed and enter the systemic circulation, reducing their localized effects. Adding vasoconstrictors such as epinephrine to LAs reduces their absorption into the systemic circulation, making them clinically effective. The...

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Quantitative study of controlled substance bedside wasting, disposal and evaluation of potential ecologic effects.

The Science of the total environmentยท2013
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Development of a Neonatal Piglet Acute Lung Injury Model Recreating the Early Environment of Preterm Infant Lungs
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Propofol wastage in anesthesia.

Russell F Mankes1

  • 1Albany Medical Center/Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, USA. rmankes@nycap.rr.com

Anesthesia and Analgesia
|March 15, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Reducing pharmaceutical waste, particularly propofol, is crucial for environmental protection and healthcare cost savings. A study found propofol accounted for 45% of drug waste, leading to targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Pharmacology
  • Healthcare Management

Background:

  • Pharmaceutical waste contributes to environmental pollution.
  • Unnecessary drug waste increases healthcare expenses.
  • Investigating specific drug waste streams is essential for targeted reduction strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify drug waste in operating rooms.
  • To identify the primary contributors to pharmaceutical waste.
  • To evaluate the impact of vial size reduction on drug wastage.

Main Methods:

  • Collected and analyzed contents of pharmaceutical waste containers from 8 operating rooms.
  • Tabulated drug waste data, excluding returned propofol.
  • Implemented a strategy of removing larger propofol vial sizes from pharmacy stock.

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08:58

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Main Results:

  • Wasted or discarded propofol constituted 45% of total drug waste.
  • The study successfully reduced propofol wastage by limiting vial sizes to 20 mL.

Conclusions:

  • Propofol is environmentally persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to aquatic organisms.
  • Restricting propofol vial sizes is an effective method for reducing pharmaceutical waste.
  • Minimizing drug waste offers environmental and economic benefits.