A pharmacokinetic model to study administration of intravenous anaesthetic agents

The compartmental model is widely used in pharmacokinetic studies. Its simulated results can be used in computer assisted drug infusion, particularly for intravenous anesthetic agents. The authors consider the three compartment mammillary model. To ensure optimum pharmacodynamic effects of the anesthetic agents, one must pay attention to compartment two (well-perfused tissues such as muscle and brain) rather than compartment one (blood vessels and organs abundant with vessels such as liver and kidneys) of the model (i.e. a compartment other than the blood plasma). The pharmacodynamic effects in the human body usually correlate with concentration in compartment two, which includes the targets of the anesthetic agents. The concentration in compartment two is easily monitored by noninvasive indices, and is suitable for the control of continuous computer-assisted infusions. One should also attend to physiological changes of the patient which may occur during a surgical procedure. Such changes may dramatically alter the pharmacokinetic parameters and thus affect the activity of intravenous anesthetic agents.<>