A great tool that resurfaced during the pandemic: Remifentanil

Abstract

During anesthetic management, drugs such as fentanyl are required. This is a synthetic opioid used routinely. However, there are options derived from fentanyl, such as remifentanil, which has been referred to in the literature as an ideal opioid in anesthesiology due to its pharmacokinetic characteristics. Remifentanil is used in general or local anesthesia, as analgesic premedication for induction of anesthesia, and as an adjuvant in the maintenance of general anesthesia. In addition, it is suggested as a sedative in patients admitted to intensive care in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation, for analgesia and sedation in postoperative cardiac surgery and other types of surgeries, even in minor procedures. In this review, we focus on describing the use, properties, and anesthesiologic characteristics of remifentanil, as well as its repercussions of use.