Pulmonary uptake of sufentanil during and after constant rate infusion.
We have studied the pulmonary uptake of sufentanil in patients during and after a short infusion of the drug. We studied 10 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery during anaesthesia with 0.4-0.8% enflurane, before surgery. Sufentanil 50 micrograms min-1 was given over 10 min by a constant rate infusion. During infusion and for 20 min thereafter, blood samples were obtained from the distal port of the pulmonary artery catheter and from a radial artery catheter. Uptake and release of sufentanil into and from the lungs were examined by mass balance and compartmental analyses. At the end of the infusion a mean of 48.9 (SD 18.6)% of the dose was retained in the lungs, and 20 min after infusion retention was 18.4 (22.4)%. Smokers had significantly higher pulmonary retention of sufentanil. The pulmonary volume of distribution of sufentanil, estimated from the two-compartment model, was 20.9 (7.7) litre. We conclude that pulmonary uptake of sufentanil is significant, if the drug is given as an infusion.
Boer
F
F
Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Leiden, The Netherlands.
Olofsen
E
E
Bovill
J G
JG
Burm
A G
AG
Hak
A
A
Geerts
M
M
Wetselaar
K E
KE
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism; D017409:Sufentanil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D017409:Sufentanil; D010100:Oxygen