In recent years, advances in technology and procedures have changed the landscape of the surgical environment. These improvements have resulted in decreased patient complication rates and faster recovery. Surgery is now a viable option for a growing number of patients, even those once considered at high-risk for complications, such as the elderly and those with concomitant disease states.

Increasingly, pharmacists have become an active member of the health care team providing surgical and perioperative care to patients in the inpatient and day-surgery setting. To maximize this role, pharmacists require a strong knowledge of the clinical and fiscal components of inhalational agent selection.

This program will begin with an overview of the principles of inhaled anesthesia and a discussion of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of the available agents. Case studies will then be used to illustrate selection of an appropriate anesthetic for the individual patient based on criteria such as procedure, age, and concomitant disease states. The program will conclude with discussion of cost analysis and other factors involved in the formulary decision-making process.