Severe Tag's Archives
Synopsis of Important Principles
- The main aim of anaesthesia is the prevention of pain during surgery and at other times.
- Anaesthesia involves a balanced approach, in which the individual patient’s psyche and pathophysiology are taken into account and drugs are used to modify and control any aspect as required.
- The decision to use a particular drug or technique must be made after careful consideration of the pathophysiological features of the individual case and how these may affect the pharmacokinetic handling and tissue response to the drugs available.
- Any associated disease or pathophysiological abnormality should wherever possible be treated or corrected before operation, and potentially dangerous physiological disturbances avoided during and after anaesthesia.
- Anaesthetic drugs are relatively non-toxic but there are some important effects. Halothane is occasionally associated with hepatitis and methoxyflurane with kidney damage. Malignant hyperpyrexia, the aetiology of which is uncertain, is a rare but often fatal condition which can be triggered off by several anaesthetic drugs in genetically susceptible individuals.
Anaesthesia, Chronic Pain, Clinical, Disease, Dosage, Effect, Electrolyte, Kidney, Method, Oral, Pain, Respiratory, Risk, Severe, Surgery, Surgical, Therapy, Treatment
Cathartics and Enemas
Although the use of cathartics and enemas is traditional, these measures are most unlikely to reduce absorption since this usually occurs rapidly in the upper small intestine. They can only add to the misery and discomfort of the patient Efficacy in removal of drug has never been established. In one recent study, saline catharsis had no beneficial effect whatsoever on the absorption of aspirin taken with charcoal (Sketris et al. 1982).
Whole Gut Lavage
One situation where attempts to empty the bowel may be helpful is in poisoning with ’slow’ or ‘timed release’ formulations. The number of such preparations on the market is increasing and since they usually contain a much larger dose of drug than ordinary tablets, intoxication may be severe and prolonged.
Abdominal, Absorption, Aspirin, Bowel, Charcoal, Discomfort, Dose, Effect, Gastric, Ingestion, Intestine, Intoxication, Oral, Saline, Severe, Surgery, Tablet, Treatment
