opioid anesthetic

opioid anesthetic

Anesthesiology Any agent used in anesthesia to modulate sympathetic responses–HTN and tachycardia to endotracheal intubation and surgical manipulation; nonmorphine OAs are 10 to 1000-fold more potent than morphine; they maintain cardiac output and BP and ↓ heart rate, making them ideal for cardiac anesthesia, as they ↓ myocardial O₂ demand, but maintain the O₂ supply within the limits of compromised coronary anatomy Cons Profound respiratory depression, skeletal muscle rigidity, CNS neurotoxicity with injury in the cortical regions and limbic system. See Alfentanil, Fentanyl, Remifentanil, Sufentanil. Cf Muscle relaxant.