Epidemiology of adverse reactions in anaesthesia in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Adverse reactions to intravenous anaesthetics and muscle relaxants are characterised by peripheral vasodilatation with oedema, hypotension, tachycardia, bronchospasm and (more rarely) vomiting and abdominal cramps. The number of published cases in the U.K. is rising yearly. The frequency with all cremophor-containing drugs is about 1 in 1,000 cases but the number recorded following other induction agents is increasing. Most reactions following muscle relaxants have been documented in other countries but this probably reflects local interpretation rather than true geographical differences. The incidence could be reduced by avoiding the use of all cremophor-containing drugs and death from actual incidents could be prevented by having adequate resuscitation measures available.