Side effects | Narcotics

Side effects

Injection narcotics can cause some adverse effects. These include suppression of breathing activity (respiratory depression), lowering blood pressure, muscle cramps, allergic reactions and bad dreams. More rarely, seizures, acute kidney failure or very rarely propofol infusion syndrome (PRIS) may occur. This can lead to acute kidney failure, cardiac arrhythmia with heart failure, muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) and a strong acidification of the blood (lactic acidosis).

TIVA (total intravenous anesthesia)

Injection anaesthetics are usually combined with opioids (strong painkillers) and muscle relaxants (muscle relaxants) during an operation, because although they alone cause anaesthesia, they cannot relieve muscle tension and pain. This combination of injectable anaesthetic, muscle relaxant and opiod is also called TIVA (total intravenous anaesthesia). It has the advantage that the anaesthetist can control the depth of anaesthesia and the patient suffers less nausea and vomiting after the anaesthesia. The TIVA is particularly suitable for patients who do not tolerate inhalation narcotics well. It is also used in patients with increased intracranial pressure, where balanced anesthesia should not be used.

Balanced anesthesia

In addition to TIVA, there is also balanced anesthesia, which combines inhalation anesthetics with injection anesthetics. This form of anaesthesia is particularly recommended for patients with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases, as the combination of the various narcotics can reduce their total dose. This reduces the side effects and the burden on the organism.

Misuse of narcotics

Narcotics are often misused. They are often used in sports for doping purposes. Narcotics dampen excitement in the brain, which is why they are used in sports that require a steady hand, such as golf, archery or shooting.

Narcotics are also often used in martial arts, such as boxing, because they reduce the athlete’s sensation of pain. Thus, strokes are perceived less and the athlete lasts longer. A combination of narcotics with stimulants has also been common for a long time.

This made it possible to combine the dampening and pain-relieving effect of narcotics with the drive-enhancing and concentration-enhancing effects of stimulants. The use of narcotics for such purposes has been prohibited since 1967. In doping tests, more attention is paid to the use of narcotics, which is why they are used less frequently nowadays.

The dangers of misuse of narcotics should not be underestimated. Especially accidental overdoses can lead to respiratory paralysis with circulatory collapse and in the worst case, death.