Goodbye suxamethonium!
No drugs in anaesthesia are more problematic than suxamethonium. Yet, no drugs have survived as suxamethonium does in spite of crisis after crisis, and attempt after attempt at its replacement. For decades, suxamethonium has taught us neuromuscular pharmacology and provided us with an encyclopaedia of side effects, while benefiting millions and millions of our anaesthetised patients. With the arrival of sugammadex, it finally appears that suxamethonium can be retired. Suxamethonium has done its job and seen its days! The present review is intended to offer a eulogy for suxamethonium.
Lee
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Department of Anesthesiology, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA. chinglee@chinglee.net
D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D006801:Humans; D019148:Neuromuscular Blockade / Q000379:methods; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; D013390:Succinylcholine