Review of the efficacy and safety of remifentanil for the prevention and treatment of pain during and after procedures and surgery.
Remifentanil is an ultrashort-acting synthetic opioid. It is metabolized by nonspecific tissue and plasma esterases. Remifentanil's metabolism is responsible for its unique pharmacokinetic profile and flat, context-sensitive half-time. Since its introduction into clinical practice, remifentanil has been used for a variety of anesthetic and analgesic applications; however, concerns regarding a potential for rapid induction of tolerance and/or induced hyperalgesia, coupled with an ultrarapid offset of effect, make the drug less than optimal for use in the pharmacologic management of pain.
Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Erica L
EL
Sivak
Peter J
PJ
Davis