Can Succinylcholine Be the Best Anaesthetic For You?

The state of temporary loss of awareness or sensation that is controlled and induced for smooth medical procedures is known as anaesthesia. Today anaesthesia is a common term. It is a must with all medical procedures and complex operations. Most medical procedures cause pain and distress to patients. Anaesthesia plays an important role to reduce this pain and discomfort. Anaesthesia is the loss of sensation or numbness. In anaesthesia, the signals that pass along your nerves to your brain are blocked. As the brain does not receive the signal you do not feel the pain. Hence, anaesthesia helps to prevent distress, pain, and discomfort.

The medicines which cause anaesthesia are called anaesthetics. Anaesthetic helps the patient lose any feelings of pain and other sensations. An anaesthetic works on the Central Nervous system of the patient, in most cases suppressing it. An anaesthetic can help relax the muscles, cause hypnosis, or act as an analgesic. Many times, anaesthetics are used during tests and surgical operations to numb the body sensation and numb certain areas of the body or to cause sedation or induce sleep. So, an anaesthetic prevents pain and discomfort during the wide range of medical procedures to be carried out.

Anaesthetics are divided into two types based on their functionality. Local anaesthesia and general anaesthesia. In local anaesthesia, only a small area of the body is numbed and the patient remains fully conscious. It is often used during minor procedures or operations. In general anaesthesia, the patient is unconscious and unaware of the procedure. General anaesthesia is often used for more grave procedures and operations.

Anaesthetists are doctors who specialize in the field of anaesthesia. They are responsible for administering anaesthesia to patients for operations and procedures. They can administer the anaesthetics in several ways. It can be an ointment (spray or drops), an injection into a vein, and a gas you breathe in. In some medical procedures, it is beneficial to induce partial paralysis. In such cases, a muscle relaxant like Succinylcholine can be used.

What is Succinylcholine?

Succinylcholine Chloride Injection induces partial paralysis. There is a group of drugs called muscle relaxants, Succinylcholine is a drug from the same group of muscle relaxants.

It is used as a skeletal muscle relaxation during surgical procedures.

It can be used as an addition along with sedatives or other general anaesthesia.

It is also used in intensive care patients to enable emergency airway management.

When is Succinylcholine used?

Succinylcholine is given mainly for Skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery so it is called a muscle relaxant.

It is mainly used to induce partial paralysis in case of some medical procedures and intensive care.

It is also known to cause facilitation of endotracheal intubation, to maintain an open airway.

How is Succinylcholine available?

It is available as an injection to be administered in the veins or muscles. The onset of the effect is almost immediate.

Succinylcholine is sold under the brand names Anectine, Entubate, and Suxamethonium.

Precautions Before taking Succinylcholine

Succinylcholine needs to be taken with a lot of caution and care. It needs great caution when Succinylcholine is administered to patients in the acute phase of an injury or trauma.

It is crucial to discuss everything with your doctor before you take this medicine. Inform your doctor about your medical history and also the family medical history.

Before taking Succinylcholine, it is crucial to inform your doctor if you have any of the following conditions.

 Any allergic condition

 About Pregnancy or breastfeeding.

 If you have asthma

 An infection in the airway

 Heart or blood vessel disease

 Muscle weakness

 Muscle pain and cramps

 Any Liver problems

 Kidney Diseases

 You take supplements or herbal medicines regularly

How to take Succinylcholine?

A qualified healthcare professional is given the responsibility of administering Succinylcholine Chloride Injections. You should never self-administer this medicine at home. The dose and duration of Succinylcholine are decided by your doctor. It will depend on what you are taking it for and how well it helps your symptoms. Succinylcholine Chloride is given as an injection that comes in injectable solution forms (20 mg/L and 100 mg/L) into a vein under the supervision of a doctor. The ideal body weight helps to decide the dose. Succinylcholine Chloride Injection can affect each individual differently. It may have sedation effects on you. Succinylcholine can make you feel dizzy or drowsy. It is advised not to perform activities that require attentiveness like driving or using machinery. Succinylcholine is known to increase blood pressure in some patients. Your doctor needs to monitor your blood pressure regularly to know of any anomalies.

Side effects

The pharmacological actions of Succinylcholine may cause some adverse reactions. Like all drugs, there are some common side effects, which are not very severe and get better as the effects of Succinylcholine reduce. If you feel discomfort after the injection of Succinylcholine consult your doctor about the same immediately.

The side effects of Succinylcholine are listed below

· Abdominal cramps or pain

· Nausea

· Muscle twitching

· Production of excess saliva

· Rigid jaw

· Muscle pain

If any of these side effects get worse or do not reduce over time, you should let your doctor know. Your doctor can suggest remedies to prevent or reduce unwanted symptoms. In some rare cases, the patient may experience a rash, anaphylaxis, disorders of the heart rhythm, or malignant hyperthermia. Medical attention is needed at the earliest. Seek help from your doctor immediately.

How to know if Succinylcholine is the correct drug for you?

It is a well-known fact now that not every drug is suited for everyone, the drug, and its use is decided to take into consideration the adverse effects, toxicity, and efficacy. It is your doctor’s responsibility to select the most suited medicine for you. Usually, your doctor may prescribe a drug and according to your response, the dosage can be altered or the medicine can be changed. Today, Indus Health Plus has the MEDNAwise pharmacogenetic test, which helps the doctor know the best-suited medicine for you directly, without the doctor having to go through the trial process. The information on the exact drugs and dosage beneficial for you is readily available for the doctors to start the treatment for you.

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