[Let's study pharmacokinetics related to anesthesiology by using computer graphics: inhalation anesthetics]

The pharmacokinetics of inhalation anesthetics has been out of public interest for 20 years. Partition coefficient or solubility of anesthetic, an important determinant of uptake and distribution of inhaled anesthetics, may be the only remains of the pharmacokinetics of inhaled anesthetics. There still, however, are a few evidences which can not be explained by partition coefficient of anesthetic. The authors applied three compartment model to the rise of the blood concentration of anesthetics, i.e., nitrous oxide, enflurane, halothane, and diethyl ether. We revealed that the change in the blood anesthetic concentration may be related to the size of compartments and their time constants. The size of compartments and their time constants may be determined by interaction of partition coefficient of anesthetic and blood distribution to the tissues which may be different with different anesthetic, and may also be different when the blood concentration of anesthetic is different.