Anesthetic Agent
Anesthetic is a drug or substance that blocks pain and causes loss of feeling. Anesthetic drugs are used on patients prior to surgery to numb part of the body or to make a the patient unconscious during the surgical procedure. Learn more about anesthetics from our experts.
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StoneSprings Hospital Center answeredSee All 3 AnswersThe risks and side effects of an epidural include infection at the site of the needle and headache, says Charles Ellis, MD, from StoneSprings Hospital Center. Learn more in this video.
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Dr. John Preston, PsyD , Psychology, answeredSee All 3 AnswersHere are side effects of benzodiazepines:
Common side effects: These include drowsiness, dizziness, forgetfulness, and slurred speech.
Less common side effects: These include confusion, nervousness, rash, and loss of balance and falls. -
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Dr. John Preston, PsyD , Psychology, answeredSee All 3 AnswersWhen taking benzodiazepines, any other type of medication that causes drowsiness or impaired alertness and reaction time can be potentially dangerous, especially if one has to drive an automobile. Alcohol should not be consumed when taking benzodiazepines.
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"Anesthetic neurotoxicity is not just a topic of interest to anesthesiologists and researchers; it is now considered a public health concern, having attracted the attention of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the population at large. The molecular mechanisms linking anesthetic exposure and neuron cell death must be identified for this phenomenon to be prevented.
Multiple animal studies have demonstrated that anesthetic exposure during a critical period of synaptogenesis causes cell death in the brains of young rodents and nonhuman primates; these animals demonstrate deficits in learning and memory later in life. How these findings translate to humans is still unclear. Retrospective analyses of select pediatric populations have suggested that children with multiple anesthetic exposures have an increased likelihood of developing learning disabilities and behavioral problems. However, the retrospective nature of these studies, which contain many confounding factors, makes it impossible to assign causality." (Katherine R. Gentry, MD, et al., "Early Developmental Exposure to Volatile Anesthetics Causes Behavioral Defects in Caenorhabditis elegans," Anesthesia & Analgesia, January 2013, pp. 185-189.) -
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"The greatest vulnerability of the developing brain to anesthetics occurs at the time of rapid synaptogenesis or so-called brain growth spurt period. In rodents, this critical period lasts from approximately postnatal day 0 to 10. For rhesus monkeys, this period takes place after approximately 115 days of gestation and up to postnatal day 60. In humans, it starts from the third trimester and continues two to three years after birth. However, it is unclear whether anesthetic-induced neuronal death is the direct cause of long-term neurocognitive dysfunction. Many developmental events (e.g., neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and neuron structure remodeling) occur within this period.
Multiple sequential steps are involved in neurogenesis including neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation and the differentiation of NSCs into neurons. Thus, neuronal cell death may not be the only consequence caused by general anesthetics. Anesthetics may perturbate neural development by influencing NSC proliferation, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and neuronal survival." (Xiaowen Bai, MD, PhD, et al., "Ketamine Enhances Human Neural Stem Cell Proliferation and Induces Neuronal Apoptosis via Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Mitochondrial Pathway," Anesthesia & Analgesia, April 2013, pp. 869-880.) -
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"In one of the earliest studies of anesthetic neurodegeneration in rodents, researchers demonstrated that exposure to midazolam, nitrous oxide, and isoflurane (ISO), in postnatal day seven rats, resulted in widespread histological evidence of apoptosis as well as deficits in spatial reference memory when subjected to behavioral testing. In the Morris water maze, exposed young adults had slower rates of memory acquisition than control animals; when retested as adults, exposed animals also demonstrated impaired retention performance. Similar results have been obtained in nonhuman primates. Neonatal rhesus monkeys exposed to 24 hours of ketamine demonstrated persistent cognitive defects when tested out to three years of age." (Katherine R. Gentry, MD, et al., "Early Developmental Exposure to Volatile Anesthetics Causes Behavioral Defects in Caenorhabditis elegans," Anesthesia & Analgesia, January 2013, pp. 185-189.)
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Mounting evidence from animal studies shows that anesthetic exposure in early life leads to apoptosis in the developing nervous system. This loss of neurons has functional consequences in adulthood. Clinical retrospective reviews have suggested that multiple anesthetic exposures in early childhood are associated with learning disabilities later in life as well. Despite much concern about this phenomenon, little is known about the mechanism by which anesthetics initiate neuronal cell death.
Studies have been conducted using caenorhabditis elegans, a nematode (roundworm). Nematodes provide a powerful genetic animal model, with precisely characterized neural development and cell death pathways; they affords an excellent opportunity to study anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity. In one study, researchers hypothesized that exposing the nematode to volatile anesthetics early in life would induce neuron cell death, producing a behavioral defect that would be manifested in adulthood.
The results from this study indicated that anesthetics affect neurobehavior in nematodes, extending the range of phyla in which early exposure to volatile anesthetics has been shown to cause functional neurological deficits. This implies that anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity occurs via an ancient underlying mechanism." (Katherine R. Gentry, MD, et al., "Early Developmental Exposure to Volatile Anesthetics Causes Behavioral Defects in Caenorhabditis elegans," Anesthesia & Analgesia, January 2013, pp. 185-189.) -
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredSee All 2 AnswersThe kind of dental pain topical benzocaine relieves can range from canker sores to discomfort caused by dentures in seniors. Benzocaine can be applied directly to a tooth and its surrounding gum to bring temporary relief of a toothache until you can get to the dentist. If you have to undergo a dental procedure that requires local anesthesia, your dentist may first apply a topical anesthetic such as benzocaine to your gums to numb the area to minimize discomfort caused by the needle.
Benzocaine is found in many over-the-counter gels for teething babies, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it should not be used in children under two years of age, because of the possibility of a rare but serious blood problem. For more information about benzocaine and ways to use it safely to reduce dental pain, talk to your dentist or pharmacist. -
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Dr. Darria Gillespie, MD , Emergency Medicine, answeredIf you are taking fusidic acid, idelalisib, tizanidine, or conivaptan, lidocaine can lead to side effects and should be avoided.
This answer was adapted from Sharecare's award-winning AskMD app. Start a consultation now to find out what's causing your symptoms, learn how to manage a condition, or find a doctor. -
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Dr. Darria Gillespie, MD , Emergency Medicine, answeredSide effects may include redness, swelling, itching, or red or purple spots where the patch is applied. These may be worse if it is applied to broken or irritated skin. Children and the elderly may be more sensitive to lidocaine's systemic effects. Lidocaine should not be used where it could get into the ear.
This answer was adapted from Sharecare's award-winning AskMD app. Start a consultation now to find out what's causing your symptoms, learn how to manage a condition, or find a doctor.