The arterial blood propofol concentration preventing movement in 50% of healthy women after skin incision

Abstract

To target appropriate drug concentration and to facilitate comparisons between drugs, the potency of propofol must be firmly established. We therefore determined the arterial blood propofol concentration preventing movement in 50% of patients after skin incision and the ability of arterial blood pressure and heart rate to predict movement after incision. Fifteen healthy women scheduled for breast surgery were randomly assigned to computer-targeted propofol blood concentrations. No other drugs were administered. Fifteen minutes after starting the propofol infusion, a 5-cm skin incision was made. Patients were observed for gross purposeful movement for 1 min. Arterial blood was sampled for pro..