EBOOK Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction

What do anaesthetists do? How does anaesthesia work? What are the risks? And how        does the anaesthetist know if you are really asleep?Anaesthesia is a mysterious and        sometimes threatening process. In this Very Short Introduction, Aidan O'Donnell        takes the reader on a tour through the whole of the modern anaesthetic practice. He        begins by explaining general anaesthesia: what it is, how it is produced, and how it        differs from natural sleep and other forms of unconsciousness. He goes on to        consider the main categories of anaesthetic drugs, including anaesthetic vapours,        intravenous agents, muscle relaxants, andanalgesics, together with explanations of        how they work and what their purpose is.Set against the historical background of        anaesthetic and surgical practice, O'Donnell examines the large role anaesthetists        play in specialised areas such as intensive care medicine, pain medicine, and        childbirth; and finally, he considers the risks of anaesthesia, putting in to        context that anaesthesia is a very safe process.