Notes
 26 / 607 
    1. Pharmacology
        1.2. Inhalation anaesthetic agents (AA)
1.2.1. Physical properties of anaesthetic agent (AA)

Physical properties of anaesthetic agent (AA)

Critical temperature

Critical temperature is the temperature above which a compound cannot be liquefied by pressure alone.

When a compound is above its critical temperature
--> Gaseous form = gas

When a compound is below its critical temperature
--> Gaseous form = vapour

 

Thus, at room temperature

HAL, ENF, ISO, DES, SEVO, N2O are all vapours

 

Vapour pressure

Vapour pressure is pressure exerted by vapour

Saturated vapour pressure is the maximal pressure exerted by vapour at equilibrium

 

Dalton's law

Total pressure exerted by a mixture of gas/vapour
= sum of partial pressure exerted by each of the component gases if present alone and occupying the same volume as the mixture

Tension

Tension is the pressure exerted by a gas/vapour within a solution

The state of anaesthesia is related to the tension of anaesthetics in the brain

 

 



Table of contents Bibliography Index

by LD99