Section outline


  • Introduction

    An anesthetic is a drug used to induce anesthesia ⁠— ⁠in other words, to result in a temporary loss of sensation or awareness. They may be divided into two broad classes: general anesthetics, which result in a reversible loss of consciousness, and local anesthetics, which cause a reversible loss of sensation for a limited region of the body without necessarily affecting consciousness.
    A wide variety of drugs are used in modern anesthetic practice. Many are rarely used outside anesthesiology, but others are used commonly in various fields of healthcare. Combinations of anesthetics are sometimes used for their synergistic and additive therapeutic effects. Adverse effects, however, may also be increased.[1] Anesthetics are distinct from analgesics, which block only sensation of painful stimuli.

    Learning Outcomes

    • Outline the necessity of anaesthetics in a surgical procedure.
    • Illustrate the mechanism of action.
    • Compare & contrast the drugs for a given situation

    Course Contents:

    • History
    • Mechanism of action
    • Properties 
    • Pharmacological action of local & general anaesthetics