User:IcyEd/Alphathesin

Alphathesin is a general anaesthetic made from a 3:1 mixture of alfaxalone with alfadolone acetate.

Mechanism
Alphathesin is short-duration, intravenous anaesthetic made from a combination of two steroidial compounds, alfaxalone and alfadolone of which the former is the primary anasethetic agent. Alfadolone acts to increase the solubility of the mixture which is dissolved in an polyethylated caster oil adjuvant.

Clinical Use
Alphathesin is short-acting, rapid onset anaesthetic which has been used for out-patient surgery. It does not have significant analgesic properties and anaesthesia has often been maintained with inhalational anaesthetics such as halothane. These have also been accompanied by neuromuscular blockers. Procedures carried out under Alphathesin are greatly varied and have included orthopaedic, gynaecological, dental and urological surgery. Notable effects include a drop in arterial and venous pressure in a quarter of patients; this is accompanied by a compensatory mild tachycardia in around 35% of those observed in a population of skewed towards geriatrics.