General Anesthesia Practice Questions

Q: Inhalational anesthetic with highest respiratory irritation is:-

Desflurane. ***Desflurane*** - **Desflurane** has the highest **pungency** among common inhalational anesthetics, leading to significant respiratory irritation. - This irritation can manifest as **coughing**, **laryngospasm**, and **bronchospasm**, particularly during induction. *Halothane* - **Halothane** is a less pungent anesthetic and is generally well-tolerated by the respiratory system. - It was historically known for its **bronchodilating properties**, making it less irritating than Desflurane. *Nitrous oxide* - **Nitrous oxide** is a gaseous anesthetic with a very low solubility and virtually no respiratory irritant properties. - It is often used as a carrier gas and is known for its quick onset and offset without causing airway reactivity. *Sevoflurane* - **Sevoflurane** is known for its sweet smell and is considered a non-pungent agent, making it suitable for inhalational induction, especially in children. - It causes minimal respiratory irritation and has **bronchodilating effects**, which are beneficial in patients with reactive airway disease.

Q: Maximum Airway Irritation caused by:-

Desflurane. ***Desflurane*** - **Desflurane** has a pungent odor and is known to cause significant **airway irritation**, leading to coughing, breath-holding, laryngospasm, and secretions, especially during induction. - Its high volatility and low blood-gas solubility contribute to its rapid onset and offset, but also increase its propensity for airway irritation. *Halothane* - **Halothane** has a sweet, non-pungent odor and is generally well-tolerated during induction, causing minimal airway irritation. - Although it causes myocardial depression and is associated with hepatotoxicity, airway irritation is not a primary concern. *Enflurane* - **Enflurane** has a mild, sweet odor and causes less airway irritation than **desflurane**, but more than halothane or sevoflurane. - It can cause central nervous system excitation at high concentrations, but airway irritation is not its most prominent side effect. *Sevoflurane* - **Sevoflurane** has a pleasant, non-pungent odor and is known for its minimal airway irritation, making it an excellent choice for inhalational inductions, particularly in pediatric patients. - It is often preferred over other volatile anesthetics when airway reactivity is a concern. *Isoflurane* - **Isoflurane** has a pungent odor and can cause moderate airway irritation, but generally less than desflurane. - It is associated with a higher incidence of coughing and breath-holding during induction compared to sevoflurane.

Q: Drug that does not cause cardiac depression:

Etomidate. ***Etomidate*** - Etomidate is known for its **cardiovascular stability**, making it a preferred induction agent in patients with **compromised cardiac function**. - It maintains **myocardial contractility** and does not typically cause a significant drop in blood pressure. *Thiopentone* - Thiopentone causes **dose-dependent myocardial depression** and peripheral vasodilation. - This can lead to a significant **decrease in blood pressure** and cardiac output, especially in hypovolemic patients. *Propofol* - Propofol is a potent **vasodilator** and can cause significant **myocardial depression**, leading to hypotension. - Its cardiovascular effects are often more pronounced than those of other induction agents, necessitating careful titration. *Ketamine* - Ketamine causes indirect cardiovascular stimulation (due to **sympathetic nervous system activation**), but direct myocardial depression. - While it often increases heart rate and blood pressure, this is a compensatory mechanism and its direct effect on the myocardium is depressant.

Q: Which of the following anesthetic agent is not painful on intravenous administration?

Ketamine. ***Ketamine*** - **Ketamine** is known for causing minimal pain on intravenous administration compared to other common induction agents. - Its mechanism of action as an **NMDA receptor antagonist** does not involve irritation of venous endothelium to the same extent as some other anesthetics. *Propofol* - **Propofol** is infamous for causing significant **injection pain** due to its formulation, which contains soybean oil, glycerol, and egg lecithin, acting as a direct irritant to the intima of veins. - The pain is often described as a **burning sensation** and can be severe enough to require pre-treatment with lidocaine. *Etomidate* - **Etomidate**, like propofol, can cause significant pain on injection, although generally less severe than propofol. - The pain is thought to be related to its **propylene glycol vehicle**, which can cause venous irritation. *Methohexital* - **Methohexital**, a barbiturate, is associated with a moderate incidence of **injection site pain and thrombophlebitis**. - Its alkaline pH and direct irritation of the **venous intima** are the primary reasons for patient discomfort during administration.

Q: Which IV anesthetic does not cause cardiac depression?

Etomidate. **Etomidate** - **Etomidate** is known for its **minimal cardiovascular effects**, making it a preferred choice in patients with **pre-existing cardiac disease** or hemodynamic instability. - Unlike other IV anesthetics, it causes very little change in **heart rate**, **blood pressure**, or **cardiac output**. *Propofol* - **Propofol** frequently causes **dose-dependent myocardial depression** and **vasodilation**, leading to significant decreases in blood pressure. - Its cardiovascular effects can be problematic in patients with compromised cardiac function. *Thiopentone* - **Thiopentone**, a barbiturate, typically causes **dose-dependent cardiovascular depression**, including reduced **myocardial contractility** and **vasodilation**. - This can result in a decrease in **blood pressure** and **cardiac output**. *Methohexital* - **Methohexital**, another barbiturate, also causes **cardiovascular depression** similar to thiopentone. - It can lead to decreased **blood pressure** due to both **myocardial depression** and **peripheral vasodilation**.

Q: Which of the following is used as an adjuvant during anesthesia?

Dexmedetomidine. ***Dexmedetomidine*** - **Dexmedetomidine** is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist commonly used as an **adjuvant** in anesthesia to provide **sedation**, **analgesia**, and **anxiolysis** with minimal respiratory depression. - Its unique properties allow for cooperative sedation, where patients can be aroused and follow commands, making it useful in various anesthetic settings. *Bupivacaine* - **Bupivacaine** is a **local anesthetic** used for regional anesthesia and pain management, not typically as an adjuvant to achieve general anesthetic effects. - It primarily blocks nerve impulse transmission to numb specific areas, rather than contributing to overall anesthetic depth or sedation. *Lorazepam* - **Lorazepam** is a **benzodiazepine** primarily used for **anxiolysis** and **sedation** prior to anesthesia or for treatment of anxiety. - While it can be given before surgery, it is not an anesthetic adjuvant in the same way dexmedetomidine is used during the operative phase to modulate anesthetic requirements and recovery. *Neostigmine* - **Neostigmine** is an **acetylcholinesterase inhibitor** used to **reverse the effects of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockers** at the end of surgery. - It does not induce anesthesia, sedation, or analgesia, but rather restores muscle function to allow for extubation.

Q: Purpose of giving Glycopyrrolate before GA

Decrease laryngeal secretions. ***Decrease laryngeal secretions*** - Glycopyrrolate is an **anticholinergic** agent that primarily reduces salivary, tracheobronchial, and pharyngeal secretions. - This action helps to prevent accumulation of secretions, which can interfere with airway management and increase the risk of **laryngospasm** during induction of general anesthesia. *Provides analgesia* - Glycopyrrolate has **no analgesic properties** and does not reduce pain. - Its mechanism of action is limited to blocking muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, which does not impact pain pathways. *Prevents aspiration* - While reducing secretions might indirectly lower aspiration risk, glycopyrrolate does **not directly prevent aspiration** by improving gastric emptying or sphincter tone. - Other medications, such as H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors, are more effective for aspiration prophylaxis related to gastric contents. *Muscle relaxation* - Glycopyrrolate is **not a muscle relaxant** and does not act at the neuromuscular junction. - Muscle relaxation for general anesthesia is provided by **neuromuscular blocking agents** like rocuronium or succinylcholine.

Q: A patient with liver cirrhosis is scheduled for surgery. Which anesthetic agent should be avoided?

Halothane. ***Halothane*** - **Halothane** metabolism produces **trifluoroacetylated proteins**, which can lead to severe **hepatotoxicity**, a critical concern in patients with pre-existing liver disease like cirrhosis. - Its use can exacerbate liver dysfunction due to its **extensive hepatic metabolism** compared to newer volatile anesthetics. *Sevoflurane* - **Sevoflurane** undergoes minimal hepatic metabolism (around 3-5%) and is primarily eliminated via the lungs, making it a safer option for patients with liver disease. - It has a good safety profile with a low incidence of hepatotoxicity. *Propofol* - **Propofol** is primarily metabolized in the liver, but its high hepatic clearance and non-cumulative nature make it suitable for patients with liver cirrhosis, although dosage adjustments may be necessary. - It does not produce toxic metabolites that significantly harm the liver. *Isoflurane* - **Isoflurane** is very minimally metabolized by the liver (around 0.2%), with the majority eliminated unchanged via the lungs. - This low hepatic metabolic load makes it a safe choice for patients with liver impairment.

Q: Which drug is used to reverse the effects of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants?

Neostigmine. ***Neostigmine*** - **Neostigmine** is an **acetylcholinesterase inhibitor** that increases the amount of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. - This increased acetylcholine can then compete with **non-depolarizing muscle relaxants** for receptors, reversing their effects. *Atropine* - **Atropine** is an **anticholinergic drug** that blocks muscarinic receptors. - It is often co-administered with neostigmine to counteract the **parasympathetic side effects** of neostigmine, such as bradycardia and increased salivation, but does not reverse muscle relaxation directly. *Glycopyrrolate* - **Glycopyrrolate** is also an **anticholinergic drug** similar to atropine, but with less central nervous system penetration. - It is co-administered with neostigmine for the same reason as atropine, to mitigate the **cholinergic side effects** of neostigmine, not to reverse muscle paralysis. *Edrophonium* - **Edrophonium** is a short-acting **acetylcholinesterase inhibitor** historically used to reverse non-depolarizing muscle relaxants. - While it can reverse muscle relaxation, it has a **shorter duration of action** compared to neostigmine and is less commonly used for this purpose in modern practice.

Q: In a patient with end-stage renal disease undergoing surgery, which anesthetic agent requires the most careful consideration regarding dosing and monitoring?

Propofol. ***Propofol*** - While propofol itself is primarily metabolized in the liver, its **excipient, lipid emulsion**, can contribute to hypertriglyceridemia and fluid overload, which are significant concerns in **end-stage renal disease (ESRD)** patients. - Its high protein binding can be altered in uremia, potentially increasing the **free drug concentration** and enhancing its effects, requiring careful titration. *Etomidate* - Etomidate is primarily metabolized by **hepatic enzymes and plasma esterases** into inactive metabolites, with minimal renal excretion of the parent drug. - Its use can lead to **adrenal suppression** by inhibiting 11-beta-hydroxylase, a concern in critically ill patients but not directly related to renal clearance in ESRD. *Ketamine* - Ketamine is metabolized by the **liver** via N-demethylation to **norketamine**, which has some anesthetic activity but is primarily excreted renally. - While its metabolites are renally cleared, the **parent drug** itself is largely unaffected by renal impairment, and its hemodynamic stability can be advantageous in ESRD. *Sevoflurane* - Sevoflurane is primarily eliminated via the **lungs**, with very minimal metabolism in the liver. - However, its metabolism produces **compound A**, which can be nephrotoxic in animals (though less so in humans) and its accumulation is a theoretical concern in severely compromised kidneys, but it's not a primary factor affecting dosing in ESRD.

Question 1

Inhalational anesthetic with highest respiratory irritation is:-

Accepted Answer

Desflurane

Answer

Halothane

Answer

Nitrous oxide

Answer

Sevoflurane

Question 2

Maximum Airway Irritation caused by:-

Accepted Answer

Desflurane

Answer

Halothane

Answer

Enflurane

Answer

Sevoflurane

Answer

Isoflurane

Question 3

Drug that does not cause cardiac depression:

Accepted Answer

Etomidate

Answer

Thiopentone

Answer

Ketamine

Answer

Propofol

Question 4

Which of the following anesthetic agent is not painful on intravenous administration?

Accepted Answer

Ketamine

Answer

Propofol

Answer

Etomidate

Answer

Methohexital

Question 5

Which IV anesthetic does not cause cardiac depression?

Accepted Answer

Etomidate

Answer

Propofol

Answer

Thiopentone

Answer

Methohexital

Question 6

Which of the following is used as an adjuvant during anesthesia?

Accepted Answer

Dexmedetomidine

Answer

Bupivacaine

Answer

Lorazepam

Answer

Neostigmine

Question 7

Purpose of giving Glycopyrrolate before GA

Accepted Answer

Decrease laryngeal secretions

Answer

Provides analgesia

Answer

Prevents aspiration

Answer

Muscle relaxation

Question 8

A patient with liver cirrhosis is scheduled for surgery. Which anesthetic agent should be avoided?

Accepted Answer

Halothane

Answer

Sevoflurane

Answer

Propofol

Answer

Isoflurane

Question 9

Which drug is used to reverse the effects of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants?

Accepted Answer

Neostigmine

Answer

Atropine

Answer

Glycopyrrolate

Answer

Edrophonium

Question 10

In a patient with end-stage renal disease undergoing surgery, which anesthetic agent requires the most careful consideration regarding dosing and monitoring?

Accepted Answer

Propofol

Answer

Etomidate

Answer

Ketamine

Answer

Sevoflurane

General Anesthesia — MCQs

General Anesthesia — MCQs

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