General anesthetic
General Anesthetic
General anesthetic (pronunciation: /ˈjen(ə)rəl/ /ˌanəsˈTHedik/) is a type of anesthesia used to induce unconsciousness in a patient during surgical procedures.
Etymology
The term "anesthetic" is derived from the Greek words "an-" meaning "without", and "-aisthesis" meaning "sensation". The prefix "general" indicates that the anesthetic affects the entire body.
Definition
General anesthetic is a drug that causes a reversible loss of consciousness. These drugs are generally administered to a patient to alleviate the pain and distress of surgical procedures. General anesthetics function by rendering the brain incapable of processing pain signals from the peripheral nerves.
Types of General Anesthetics
There are two main types of general anesthetics: inhalation anesthetics and intravenous anesthetics.
- Inhalation Anesthetics: These are gases or vapors inhaled through a breathing mask or tube. Examples include nitrous oxide and halothane.
- Intravenous Anesthetics: These are injected into a vein. Examples include propofol and etomidate.
Related Terms
- Anesthesia: A state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness.
- Local Anesthetic: A drug that causes reversible local anesthesia, generally for minor surgical procedures.
- Sedation: The reduction of irritability or agitation by administration of sedative substances or medications.
- Analgesia: The inability to feel pain while still conscious.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on General anesthetic
- Wikipedia's article - General anesthetic
This MedicineGPT article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski