Ideal intravenous anaesthetic agent

Clinical usage

• Rapid onset
  * Highly unionized at physiological pH
  * High lipid solubility
• Rapid recovery
  * No accumulation during prolonged infusion
• Analgesic at sub-anaesthetic concentrations

Side effects

• Minimal CVS and resp depression
• No emetic effects
• No pain on injection
• No excitation or emergence phenomena
• No interaction with other agents
• Safe following inadvertent intra-arterial injection
• No toxic effects
• No histamine release
• No hypersensitivity reactions

Stability

• Water-soluble formulation
• Long shelf-life at room temperature