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by legacy on November 10th, 2005

legacy

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What is the fastest acting anesthetic?

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  • by maddock on November 17th, 2005

    maddock

    Almost any opiate or tropane (cocaine, benzocaine, lidocaine, novocaine) is effective immediately when injected intravenously. Synthetic opiates usually take effect within 5-60 seconds; commonly fentanyl, sufentanil, carfentanil and
    alfentanil.

    Most inhaled anesthetics act immediately but must be titrated slowly to avoid overdosage or other sequelae (propofol, halothane, sevoflurane, isoflurane, nitrous oxide)

    Roughly, probably sufentanil and halothane are the fastest acting but by a uselessly narrow margin.

    Comments

    • Count backwards from ten: 10, 9, 8, 7, zzz.

      RedJohn

      by RedJohn on December 26th, 2005

    • (retired anesthesiologist here) I agree with most of the above ... except he implies propofol is an inhaled anesthetic (it's not ... just ask Michael Jackson) ... and halothane is one of the slower inhaled anesthetics ... sevo is much faster, and nitrous technically isn't an anesthetic ... and by the way, when you see somebody get "knocked out" in a movie with a shot or a rag over the mouth, it's never anywhere near that fast in real life

      Tom Slick

      by Tom Slick on February 15th, 2010

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