Dosing & Uses
Dosage Forms & Strengths
inhalation solution
- 100mL
- 250mL
Anesthesia Induction & Maintenance
Use calibrated vaporizer
Induction: 1.5-3% can produce surgical anesthesia in 7-10 minutes
Maintenance: 1-2.5% with nitrous oxide
Additional 0.5-1% may be needed if given with oxygen alone
Safety & efficacy not established
Interactions
Interaction Checker
No Results

Contraindicated
Serious - Use Alternative
Significant - Monitor Closely
Minor

Adverse Effects
1-10%
Nausea
Vomiting
Shivering
<1%
Dose-dependent hypotension
Arrhythmias
Malignant hyperthermia (rare)
Elevations in white blood count
May decrease creatinine and increase BUN
Ileus, severe (fatal)
Hepatic dysfunction (postoperative period) (rare)
Respiratory depression may occur (rare)
Warnings
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to isoflurane & halogenated agents
Genetic susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia
Cautions
Caution in coronary heart disease
May decrease renal and hepatic blood flow
Postoperative hepatic dysfunction and hepatitis reported
Rare risk of perioperative hyperkalemia & malignant hyperthermia
Adequate data have not been developed to establish its application in obstetrical anesthesia
Should not be used as a sole agent of induction in patients with ventricular dysfunction
Perioperative Hyperkalemia
- Inhaled anesthetics associated with rare increases in serum potassium levels that have resulted in cardiac arrhythmias and death in pediatric patients postoperatively
- Patients with latent as well as overt neuromuscular disease, particularly Duchenne muscular dystrophy, appear to be most vulnerable
- Concomitant use of succinylcholine has been associated with most, but not all, of these cases
- Elevated serum creatinine kinase levels and, in some cases, changes in urine consistent with myoglobinuria observed
- Despite similar presentation to malignant hyperthermia, none of affected patients exhibited signs or symptoms of muscle rigidity or hypermetabolic state
- Early and aggressive intervention to treat hyperkalemia and resistant arrhythmias recommended
- Evaluation for latent neuromuscular disease recomended
General anesthetics and sedation drugs in young children and pregnant women
Brain development
- Prolonged or repeated exposure may result in negative effects on fetal or young children’s brain development
- Caution with use during surgeries or procedures in children younger than 3 yr or in pregnant women during their third trimester
- Assess the risk:benefit ratio in these populations, especially for prolonged procedures (ie, >3 hr) or multiple procedures
Pregnancy & Lactation
Pregnancy
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women; in animal reproduction studies, embryofetal toxicity was noted in pregnant mice exposed to 0.075% (increased post implantation losses) and 0.3% isoflurane (increased post implantation losses and decreased live- birth index) during organogenesis
Lactation
Use caution
Pregnancy Categories
A: Generally acceptable. Controlled studies in pregnant women show no evidence of fetal risk.
B: May be acceptable. Either animal studies show no risk but human studies not available or animal studies showed minor risks and human studies done and showed no risk. C: Use with caution if benefits outweigh risks. Animal studies show risk and human studies not available or neither animal nor human studies done. D: Use in LIFE-THREATENING emergencies when no safer drug available. Positive evidence of human fetal risk. X: Do not use in pregnancy. Risks involved outweigh potential benefits. Safer alternatives exist. NA: Information not available.Pharmacology
Mechanism of Action
Volatile liquid inhalation anesthetic
Pharmacokinetics
Onset: Rapid (7-10 min)
Duration: Short (depends on blood concentration)
Minimum Alveolar Conc: 1.3%
Metabolism: Liver (0.2%)
Pharmacogenomics
Increased incidence of malignant hyperthermia with use of volatile anesthetics or depolarizing neuromuscular blockers in patients with gene mutations in ryanodine receptor (RYR1) or calcium channel alpha (1S)- subunit gene (CACNA1S)
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Formulary
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