Articles: operative.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Aug 2023
ReviewHow obesity affects the disposition of intravenous anesthetics.
Understanding the changes in drug disposition of intravenous anesthetics in patients with obesity and administering appropriate doses are critical to avoid intraoperative awareness with recall because of underdosing and over-sedation and delayed emergence due to overdosing. Pharmacokinetic simulation or target-controlled infusion (TCI) using models that have been adapted to patients with obesity are necessary to select appropriate dosing regimens. This review aimed to describe the pharmacokinetic concepts underpinning the use of intravenous anesthetics, including propofol, remifentanil, and remimazolam, in patients with obesity. ⋯ Pharmacokinetic simulations or TCI using pharmacokinetic models that account for the influence of obesity on a drug's disposition are essential to predict plasma/effect-site concentrations of intravenous anesthetics and understand the temporal profile of drug concentrations and effect in patients with obesity, particularly severe obesity.