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New inhaled anesthetics
1Department of Anesthesia, University of California, San Francisco.
Anesthesiology
|April 1, 1994
Summary
Desflurane and sevoflurane offer faster anesthesia control and recovery due to lower solubility. Sevoflurane is less respiratory irritating at higher doses, while desflurane may increase heart rate, and sevoflurane degradation produces a toxic product.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pharmacology
- Inhaled Anesthetics
Background:
- Desflurane and sevoflurane are potent inhaled anesthetics.
- They offer advantages in anesthesia delivery and patient recovery compared to older agents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the pharmacologic properties of desflurane and sevoflurane.
- To identify the advantages and disadvantages of each anesthetic agent.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of anesthetic properties.
- Review of existing literature on desflurane and sevoflurane.
Main Results:
- Both agents allow precise anesthesia control and rapid recovery due to low solubility.
- Sevoflurane has minimal respiratory irritant properties at concentrations above 1 MAC, enabling rapid induction.
- Desflurane may increase heart rate at higher concentrations, unlike sevoflurane.
- Sevoflurane degrades into a toxic product when exposed to soda lime or Baralyme, whereas desflurane is resistant to degradation.
Conclusions:
- Neither desflurane nor sevoflurane is ideal, but both represent advancements in inhaled anesthesia.
- Each agent possesses unique characteristics that may suit different clinical scenarios.