The Impact And Potential Protective Effects Of Anesthetic Agents On Acute Lung Injury/Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

The acute respiratory syndrome remains a world-wide treatment challenge, with high morbidity and mortality. Some anesthetics have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in the inflammation of ARDS, and improved myocardial reperfusion injury at the basic science level. The traditional view was that most of the anesthetic drugs may cause lung damage directly or aggravate diffuse pulmonary injury and acute respiratory insufficiency. But a recent study has been found that some narcotic drugs may have significant therapeutic potential for treating pulmonary vascular inflammation, reducing production of superoxide and inhibiting apoptosis. Thus the issue regard to preventing or tempering the development of ALI through the use of anesthetics has become a major topic of debates. In this review, we will provide a brief summary of the protective effect of anesthetic agents on lung inflammation.