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Related Concept Videos

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...
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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.
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Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device
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Published on: September 24, 2020

Rat aversion to isoflurane versus carbon dioxide.

Devina Wong1, I Joanna Makowska, Daniel M Weary

  • 1Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Biology Letters
|December 21, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Sedating laboratory rats with isoflurane before carbon dioxide (CO(2)) euthanasia is more humane than CO(2) alone. Initial isoflurane exposure is less aversive than CO(2), but re-exposure increases aversion.

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Published on: October 16, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Anesthesiology
  • Laboratory Animal Science
  • Animal Welfare

Background:

  • Euthanasia methods for laboratory rodents, particularly using carbon dioxide (CO(2)), are under scrutiny for potential aversion.
  • Isoflurane is proposed as a pre-euthanasia sedative to mitigate CO(2) aversion.
  • Limited research exists comparing the aversiveness of isoflurane and CO(2) in rodents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the aversiveness of initial exposure to isoflurane versus CO(2) in laboratory rats.
  • To assess the impact of prior exposure on the aversiveness of isoflurane.
  • To evaluate isoflurane sedation as a refinement for CO(2) euthanasia.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a light-dark box paradigm to assess rodent aversion to gases.
  • Rats chose between a dark compartment filled with either isoflurane or CO(2) and a lit escape compartment.
  • Experiment 1 validated the model's sensitivity to agent and light intensity.
  • Experiments 2 and 3 measured rat behavior during initial and re-exposure to isoflurane and CO(2).

Main Results:

  • Rats showed differential responses to isoflurane and CO(2), validating the experimental model.
  • Significantly more rats remained in the dark compartment until recumbency when exposed to isoflurane (9/16) compared to CO(2) (0/16) during initial exposure.
  • Re-exposure to isoflurane resulted in more rats remaining in the dark compartment until recumbency (10/16) than during initial exposure (1/16).

Conclusions:

  • Initial exposure to CO(2) is more aversive to rats than initial exposure to isoflurane.
  • Re-exposure to isoflurane becomes more aversive after an initial exposure.
  • Sedation with isoflurane represents a refinement over CO(2) euthanasia alone for rats not previously exposed to inhalant anesthetics.