title: Age has no effect on the pharmacodynamics of alfentanil.
abstract: Effects of age on the pharmacodynamics of alfentanil, as a supplement to nitrous oxide anesthesia, were studied in younger (31-52 years; n = 14) and older (56-86 years; n = 14) women undergoing curative surgery for primary breast cancer. Plasma alfentanil concentration-effect curves for perioperative stimuli and for the probability of needing naloxone at the end of the operation were fitted by logistic regression. Effects of age on the plasma concentration-effect relation of alfentanil could not be demonstrated. However, the dose requirement in the older patient group was significantly lower than in the younger patient group.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D015760:Alfentanil; D000758:Anesthesia; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015760:Alfentanil; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D005283:Fentanyl