[Trajectory of anaesthesiology and intensive medicine--history, presence and prospects]

Anaesthesia has been practised in a very simple way in ancient ages already, nevertheless its real progress started during last 50 years, supported with recent neurophysiological achievements, technical development, digital evaluation and telemedicine. Since the end of the 20th century close relations exist with CPR and with contemporary complex features of perioperative medicine. They form fundamental pillars for modern surgery encl. intensive medicine and care. Changing demography and efficient support of vital functions in intensive medicine create new phenomena and postulates: safety, chronic critical illness, long-term mechanical ventilation, palliative intensive care, patients preferences for own active end of life. Vital and global importance of anaesthesia equal to surgery has been accepted for the first time in their global history during the meeting of World Health Assembly (WHA) in the year 2015. Brief survey of development and trends in anaesthesiology and intensive medicine in our country completes the historical text.