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General anesthesia
General anesthesia depresses the central nervous system to produce unconsciousness, analgesia, and muscle relaxation for surgical procedures.
General anesthesia depresses the central nervous system to produce unconsciousness, analgesia, and muscle relaxation for surgical procedures. Used for Induction and maintenance of general anesthesia for surgical procedures, Sedation in intensive care settings.
At a glance
| Generic name | General anesthesia |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Midazolam, Rocuronium, Fentanyl, Propofol, Remifentanil |
| Sponsor | Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho |
| Drug class | General anesthetic |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Anesthesiology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
General anesthesia works through multiple mechanisms depending on the specific agent used, typically involving enhancement of inhibitory neurotransmission (GABA) and/or suppression of excitatory neurotransmission (glutamate) in the brain. This results in loss of consciousness, suppression of reflexes, and amnesia. The class encompasses intravenous agents (propofol, etomidate, ketamine), inhaled volatile anesthetics (sevoflurane, isoflurane), and nitrous oxide.
Approved indications
- Induction and maintenance of general anesthesia for surgical procedures
- Sedation in intensive care settings
Common side effects
- Postoperative nausea and vomiting
- Hypotension
- Respiratory depression
- Emergence delirium
- Headache
- Dizziness
Key clinical trials
- Effect of Scalp Block on Intraoperative Hemodynamics and Postoperative Pain in Craniotomy Patients" (NA)
- Spontaneous Breathing Mode: A Risk for Hypoxemia During OLV?
- The Relationship Between Opioid-Free Anesthesia and Postoperative Agitation-Delirium and Quality of Recovery in Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat Cases Monitored With Perioperative Bispectral Index
- Educational Cartoon to Reduce Preoperative Anxiety in Children (CALM-KIDS) (NA)
- Effect of Bladder Distension on Dosimetry in Brachytherapy of Cervical Cancer (NA)
- Acupuncture for Blood Pressure Fluctuation During Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (NA)
- Magnetic Compression Anastomosis Procedure for Partial Jejunoileal Anastomosis: Assessing the Viability of an Innovative Metabolic Approach (NA)
- Comparison of Two Intravenous Drug Combinations for Ambulatory Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (PHASE1)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- General anesthesia CI brief — competitive landscape report
- General anesthesia updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho portfolio CI