ISOFLURANE

Course overview

ISOFLURANE IS A VOLATILE ANESTHETIC THAT IS APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) FOR THE INDUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF GENERAL ANESTHESIA. SIMILAR TO MOST VOLATILE ANESTHETICS, ISOFLURANE IS A HALOGENATED ETHER COMPOUND THAT IS A STRUCTURAL ISOMER TO ITS PREDECESSOR, ENFLURANE, AND HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR USE IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1979. UNLIKE ENFLURANE, ISOFLURANE IS A NON-FLAMMABLE VOLATILE ANESTHETIC, BUT CARRIES A STRONG PUNGENT ODOR THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO USE FOR INHALATIONAL INDUCTION OF GENERAL ANESTHESIA. THIS ACTIVITY COVERS ISOFLURANE, INCLUDING MECHANISM OF ACTION, PHARMACOLOGY, ADVERSE EVENT PROFILES, ELIGIBLE PATIENT POPULATIONS, MONITORING, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ANESTHESIA WITH ISOFLURANE.