General Anesthetics: DIETHYL ETHER

: Used more than 100 years ago as a GA, problem is that its flammable and hard to handle, and produces a pungent odor. Causes profound analgesia at sub anesthetic concentrations; you can go to stage 1 and do minor surgery. Very good muscle relaxant.


Hallmark of ether is that its essentially benign to the cardiovascular system… all GA’s depress the myocardium (negative inotropic effects), but ether maintains cardiac output by causing release of catecholamines to stimulate the heart. Does not produce arrhythmias, so is compatible with epinephrine. Not toxic to liver/ kidney. The problems are that it is irritating to the pt and has difficult and slow induction and emergence properties due to the high Oswald coefficient of 12. Follows Guedel signs perfectly because the Guedel signs were designed to describe ether!

Category: Pharmacology Notes