[Anesthetics and nitric oxide. Interactions and their importance for anesthesia]

Due to its important physiological and pathophysiological actions, the pluripotent signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO) is increasingly of interest in clinical medicine. Despite increasing use by anaesthetists in inhalational therapy for intensive care patients with respiratory distress syndrome, the potential interactions of anaesthetic agents and NO have thus far received little attention. The literature available to date on this topic is somewhat controversial, and highlights the need for additional research in this area. This review summarises the pertinent literature in this area for the anaesthetist and describes potential mechanisms by which anaesthetics may interfere with the synthesis and/or effects of NO in the human body.