title: Other new and potentially useful inhalational anesthetics.
abstract: Sevoflurane and desflurane are volatile inhaled anesthetics that are currently being investigated as possible improvements for the anesthetic management of human patients. Information to date suggests these agents have several advantages over existing clinical agents. For example, the blood/gas partition coefficient for both agents is lower than that of other halogenated anesthetics. Consistent with this physical characteristic is a more rapid induction of and emergence from anesthesia. Both cause a dose-related depression of cardiopulmonary function, which is comparable to isoflurane. Results of studies to date favor desflurane over sevoflurane because it is less soluble in blood, is stable in soda lime, is biodegraded the least of any volatile anesthetic, and is not toxic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Steffey
mesh_terms: D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000662:veterinary*; D000777:Anesthetics; D000818:Animals; D000077335:Desflurane; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D004987:Ethers; D006801:Humans; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D004987:Ethers; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D000077335:Desflurane; D007530:Isoflurane