Management of Drug Interactions between Anti-infectives and Common Anesthetics

Abstract

Interactions between various medications can lead to changes in the expected response of one or more of those medications. Drug interactions can be pharmacokinetic (altered absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of the medication) or pharmacodynamic (alterations based on similarities or differences in the mechanisms of medications with respect to their effect on the body). Although drug interactions exist in many specialties in medicine, this chapter focuses on those that affect the responses of common anesthetic agents or drugs given with those agents. While anesthesiologists monitor objective measures and titrate many medications to the desired effect, understanding and anticipating drug interactions can help reduce unexpected effects of medications. This review contains 2 figures, 4 tables and 36 references  Key words: anesthetic agents, antiinfective agents, drug interactions, mechanism, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics