No abstract

Remifentanil can be administered by TCI with acceptable bias and inaccuracy. The three pharmacokinetic parameter sets described by Egan and colleagues resulted in the least bias and best accuracy.

Propofol-opioid combinations are widely used in today's anaesthetic practice. Over the past 20-30 years the pharmacology of these agents has been described in increasingly greater detail. Together with novel intravenous administration devices and improved anaesthetic depth monitoring, this has created a basis for the optimisation of the administration of propofol-opioid anaesthesia. This article describes the current strategies regarding the application of this type of anaesthesia, focusing on three strategic tools: (i) application of pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic knowledge of propofol and the opioids, with particular attention to pharmacodynamic interactions between them; (ii) the use of state-of-the-art administration techniques; and (iii) the application of bispectral index monitoring. Together, these techniques have improved the level of control, the flexibility and the safety of anaesthetic practice.

Propofol alters the pharmacokinetics of alfentanil. Hemodynamic changes induced by propofol may have an important influence on the pharmacokinetics of alfentanil.

Alfentanil alters the pharmacokinetics of propofol. Cardiac output and heart rate have an important influence on the pharmacokinetics of propofol.