What we know today as “lidocaine” was discovered by two Swedish chemists, Nils Löfgren and Bengt Lundqvist, in 1942. Hans v. Euler was investigating genes and enzymes that were related to barley. He then isolated gramine, which was an indole. Erdtman then synthesized the isogramine and found that it had weak anesthetic properties. Then, Erdtman and Löfgren synthesized amino amides but nothing was better than the existing ester-type anesthetic. Some time later, Löfgren and Lundqvist further investigated and found the compound lidocaine. For clinical use, Dr. Torsten Gordh had concluded that lidocaine would be much safer, and long-lasting than the local anesthetics that were being used. Dr. Torsten Gordh (1907-2010) was a physician …show more content…
Topical lidocaine is available commercially. It has proven to relieve pain for some patients with Postherpetic neuralgia (nerve pain from damage caused by the varicella zoster virus). It can also relieve itching, burning, and pain from skin inflammation.
Lidocaine is also a very important class-1b antiarrhythmic drug. Antiarrhythmic agents are pharmaceutical substances that are used to stabilize abnormal heartbeats, such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. If amiodarone is unavailable or if it is contraindicated, lidocaine can be used when defibrillation, CPR, and vasopressors have been initiated.
Inhaled lidocaine can be used as a cough repressor. This is used to reduce the cough reflex for patients who have to go undergo intubation. By reducing the incidences of coughing, it can reduce any tracheal damage when coming out of anesthesia.
Contraindications are indications that the drug shouldn’t be used. Some contraindications for lidocaine are patients with Adam-Stokes syndrome, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, Bradycardia, Pseudocholinesterase deficiency, and elderly patients. Patients with any of these factors should not use lidocaine, because negative results may occur and harm …show more content…
They may be due to the intra-arterial injection of the local anesthetic with retrograde flow to the cerebral circulation. Patients who have been receiving these blocks should have their circulation and respiration monitored at all times. Resuscitative equipment as well as trained personnel are required to be present for immediate availability.
Adverse Reactions
Adverse reactions are unexpected or unwanted reactions to a drug and are categorized depending on where/what is affected. Central Nervous System, Allergic reactions, and reactions involving Neurological troubles are a few examples of the categories.
When an adverse reaction occurs in the CNS, lightheadedness, nervousness, euphoria, confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred or double vision, vomiting, sensations of heat, cold or numbness, twitching, tremors, unconsciousness, respiratory depression and arrest are some of the indications to watch for.
A patient with allergic reactions may be possible due to sensitivity to the anesthetic agent, lidocaine, itself or, to the preservative used in multiple dose vials, methylparaben. Although allergic reactions to lidocaine are rare, if they were to occur, they should be managed by conventional