An anaesthetic is a drug or agent that produces a complete or partial loss of feeling. There are three kinds of anaesthetic: general, regional and local. When a patient undergoes a general anaesthetic, they lose sensation and.. Read more An anaesthetic is a drug or agent that produces a complete or partial [..]

<anaesthetics> Agents that are capable of inducing a total or partial loss of sensation, especially tactile sensation and pain. They may act to induce general anaesthesia, in which an unconscious state is achieved, or may act locally to induce numbness or lack of sensation at a targeted site. American spelling: anesthetics (12 Dec 1998)

<anaesthetics> The use of two or more chemicals simultaneously or sequentially to induce anaesthesia. The drugs need not be in the same dosage form. American spelling: anesthetics, combined (12 Dec 1998)

<anaesthetics> Intravenous anaesthetics that induce a state of sedation, immobility, amnesia, and marked analgesia. Subjects may experience a strong feeling of dissociation from the environment. The condition produced is similar to neuroleptanalgesia, but is brought about by the administration of a single drug. American spelling: anesthetics, [..]

<anaesthetics> Agents that induce various degrees of analgesia; depression of consciousness, circulation, and respiration; relaxation of skeletal muscle; reduction of reflex activity; and amnesia. There are two types of general anaesthetics, inhalation and intravenous. With either type, the arterial concentration of drug required to induce an [..]

<anaesthetics> Gases or volatile liquids that vary in the rate at which they induce anaesthesia; potency; the degree of circulation, respiratory, or neuromuscular depression they produce; and analgesic effects. Inhalation anaesthetics have advantages over intravenous agents in that the depth of anaesthesia can be changed rapidly by altering t [..]

<anaesthetics> Ultrashort-acting anaesthetics that are used for induction. Loss of consciousness is rapid and induction is pleasant, but there is no muscle relaxation and reflexes frequently are not reduced adequately. Repeated administration results in accumulation and prolongs the recovery time. Since these agents have little if any analges [..]

<anaesthetics> Drugs that block nerve conduction when applied locally to nerve tissue in appropriate concentrations. They act on any part of the nervous system and on every type of nerve fibre. In contact with a nerve trunk, these anaesthetics can cause both sensory and motor paralysis in the innervated area. Their action is completely revers [..]