Goodbye Suxamethonium

Summary No drugs in anaesthesia are more problematic than suxamethonium. Yet, no drugs have survived as suxamethonium does in spite of crisis after crisis, and attempt after attempt at its replacement. For decades, suxamethonium has taught us neuromuscular pharmacology and provided us with an encycl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anaesthesia 2009-03, Vol.64 (s1), p.73-81
Main Author: Lee, C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anesthesia
Anesthesia Recovery Period
Anesthesiology
Humans
Neuromuscular Blockade - methods
Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents - adverse effects
Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents - chemistry
Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents - pharmacology
Neuromuscular Junction - drug effects
Neuromuscular Junction - physiology
Pharmacology
Prescription drugs
Structure-Activity Relationship
Succinylcholine - adverse effects
Succinylcholine - chemistry
Succinylcholine - pharmacology
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Summary:Summary No drugs in anaesthesia are more problematic than suxamethonium. Yet, no drugs have survived as suxamethonium does in spite of crisis after crisis, and attempt after attempt at its replacement. For decades, suxamethonium has taught us neuromuscular pharmacology and provided us with an encyclopaedia of side effects, while benefiting millions and millions of our anaesthetised patients. With the arrival of sugammadex, it finally appears that suxamethonium can be retired. Suxamethonium has done its job and seen its days! The present review is intended to offer a eulogy for suxamethonium.
ISSN:0003-2409
1365-2044
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2044.2008.05873.x