Anaes Vivas · Volatile & inhalational agents
Data viva — volatile agents: potency and solubility
A Final data viva — read the MAC-versus-blood-gas-solubility chart for the four volatile agents; define MAC (potency, lower is more potent) and the blood-gas coefficient (speed of onset and recovery, lower is faster); explain the Meyer-Overton correlation (potency tracks lipid solubility); apply the principles to agent selection and to the inhalational induction.
On this page
Study tools
Target exams
Stimulus
A bar chart compares the four volatile anaesthetic agents on two axes: minimum alveolar concentration in percent (halothane 0.75, isoflurane 1.15, sevoflurane 2.0, desflurane 6.0) and blood-gas partition coefficient (halothane 2.4, isoflurane 1.4, sevoflurane 0.65, desflurane 0.42). Read the chart, explain what MAC and the blood-gas coefficient each measure, and state how they determine the choice of agent.
References4ShowHide
- [2]Wu JN, et al. The Impact of General Anesthetics on Postoperative Delirium: A Narrative Review Based on Clinical Randomized Controlled Trials from the Last Five Years. Geriatrics (Basel), 2026.PMID 42345745
- [4]Fazekas A, et al. Total intravenous anaesthesia versus sevoflurane in cardiac surgery. Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, 2026.PMID 42350176
- [6]Somnuke P, et al. Effect of desflurane versus propofol on perioperative neurocognitive disorders in older adults undergoing major urological surgery: a randomized trial. BMC Geriatrics, 2026.PMID 42321629
- [8]AbbVie Inc. ULTANE (SEVOFLURANE) LIQUID — prescribing information. DailyMed, 2026.Source