Anesthetic drugs

Abstract

Patients may present for surgery during pregnancy for both obstetric and nonobstetric reasons. These patients present a unique set of challenges which relate to maternal and fetal physiology and the alteration of drug pharmacokinetics and dynamics. Multidisciplinary input is necessary to optimize and maintain maternal and fetal well-being throughout the perioperative period. This chapter concisely examines drugs commonly used for general and regional anesthesia and reviews the current evidence for their use in pregnancy.