| anaesthetics, intravenous | Ultrashort-acting anaesthetics that are used for induction. Loss of consciousness is rapid and induction is pleasant, but there is no muscle relaxation and reflexes frequently are not reduced adequately. Repeated administration results in accumulation and prolongs the recovery time. Since these agents have little if any analgesic activity, they are seldom used alone except in brief minor procedures. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| anaesthetics, local | Drugs that block nerve conduction when applied locally to nerve tissue in appropriate concentrations. They act on any part of the nervous system and on every type of nerve fibre. In contact with a nerve trunk, these anaesthetics can cause both sensory and motor paralysis in the innervated area. Their action is completely reversible. Nearly all local anaesthetics act by reducing the tendency of voltage-dependent sodium channels to activate. They are commonly used not only in the peripheral nervous system, but also for spinal anaesthesia. The many drugs that have local anaesthetic actions as a side effect but are not used for their local anaesthetic action are not included here. (12 Dec 1998) |