The ability of the stimulant methylphenidate, commonly known as Ritalin, to speed recovery from general anesthesia applies to both the inhaled gas isoflurane and the intravenous drug propofol, according to research to be published in the May issue of Anesthesiology.
"Propofol is the most widely used intravenous general anesthetic, and there is currently no way to reverse its effects," says study author Ken Solt, MD, of the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine. "By finding that methylphenidate can reverse general anesthesia with propofol as well as with isoflurane, we show that it may be broadly applicable for waking patients up from different general anesthetic drugs."
The research team's previous study in the October issue of Anesthesiology showed that methylphenidate significantly decreased the amount of time it took for rats to recover from isoflurane anesthesia. The current study ran similar experiments in which propofol was the anesthetic agent.
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"Propofol is the most widely used intravenous general anesthetic, and there is currently no way to reverse its effects," says study author Ken Solt, MD, of the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine. "By finding that methylphenidate can reverse general anesthesia with propofol as well as with isoflurane, we show that it may be broadly applicable for waking patients up from different general anesthetic drugs."
The research team's previous study in the October issue of Anesthesiology showed that methylphenidate significantly decreased the amount of time it took for rats to recover from isoflurane anesthesia. The current study ran similar experiments in which propofol was the anesthetic agent.
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