Propofol as an intravenous agent in general anesthesia and conscious sedation

Propofol has been shown in clinical studies to be a safe, effective, hypnotic, and amnesic anesthetic agent at induction doses of 2-2.5 mg/kg and maintenance doses of approximately 9 mg/kg per hour. Significant post-induction hypotension reported earlier can be reduced to a fall in MAP of less than 25% when the drug is used alone (without nitrous oxide or narcotic premedication). Post-induction apnea is minimized by avoidance of pre-induction hyperventilation. Acute and long term venous tolerance is acceptable. Emergence from anesthesia induced and maintained with propofol is rapid, predictable and relatively free of postoperative complications. Incidence of drug interaction is low. Propofol causes no adrenocortical suppression and is not potentiated by ethanol, diazepam, amitriptyline or phenelzine. Preliminary investigation of propofol as an intravenous sedative agent at subanesthetic doses has been favorable.