Biomaterial Database

Halving the cost of anaesthetic agents. 1970

C E Briscoe

A survey in South Wales has been used to estimate the annual cost of individual anaesthetic drugs used in the National Health Service. Halothane, costing pound900,000, is the most expensive item, followed by oxygen ( pound390,000) and nitrous oxide ( pound350,000). The total cost of drugs used for hospital anaesthetics is estimated to be pound2,300,000, and for dental anaesthetics pound156,000. The drug cost of the average hospital anaesthetic is pound1 3s. and of the average dental anaesthetic 1s. 9d.The provision of liquid oxygen stores could reduce oxygen costs by up to 90%, and the greater use of closed-circuit anaesthesia, with low gas flows, could save pound750,000 annually. The drug cost of an anaesthetic in Cardiff has risen from 8s. 4d. in 1959 to 19s. 10d. in 1968, but costs in Cardiff compare favourably with published figures from other similar centres.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009609	Nitrous Oxide	Nitrogen oxide (N2O). A colorless, odorless gas that is used as an anesthetic and analgesic. High concentrations cause a narcotic effect and may replace oxygen, causing death by asphyxia. It is also used as a food aerosol in the preparation of whipping cream.	Laughing Gas,Nitrogen Protoxide,Gas, Laughing,Oxide, Nitrous
D010100	Oxygen	An element with atomic symbol O, atomic number 8, and atomic weight [15.99903; 15.99977]. It is the most abundant element on earth and essential for respiration.	Dioxygen,Oxygen-16,Oxygen 16
D003365	Costs and Cost Analysis	Absolute, comparative, or differential costs pertaining to services, institutions, resources, etc., or the analysis and study of these costs.	Affordability,Analysis, Cost,Cost,Cost Analysis,Cost Comparison,Cost Measures,Cost-Minimization Analysis,Costs and Cost Analyses,Costs, Cost Analysis,Pricing,Affordabilities,Analyses, Cost,Analyses, Cost-Minimization,Analysis, Cost-Minimization,Comparison, Cost,Comparisons, Cost,Cost Analyses,Cost Comparisons,Cost Measure,Cost Minimization Analysis,Cost, Cost Analysis,Cost-Minimization Analyses,Costs,Measure, Cost,Measures, Cost
D004356	Drug Storage	The process of keeping pharmaceutical products in an appropriate location.	Drug Storages,Storage, Drug,Storages, Drug
D004470	Economics, Medical	Economic aspects of the field of medicine, the medical profession, and health care. It includes the economic and financial impact of disease in general on the patient, the physician, society, or government.	Medical Economics
D006113	United Kingdom	Country in northwestern Europe including Great Britain and the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland, located between the North Sea and north Atlantic Ocean. The capital is London.	Great Britain,Isle of Man
D006221	Halothane	A nonflammable, halogenated, hydrocarbon anesthetic that provides relatively rapid induction with little or no excitement. Analgesia may not be adequate. NITROUS OXIDE is often given concomitantly. Because halothane may not produce sufficient muscle relaxation, supplemental neuromuscular blocking agents may be required. (From AMA Drug Evaluations Annual, 1994, p178)	1,1,1-Trifluoro-2-Chloro-2-Bromoethane,Fluothane,Ftorotan,Narcotan
D006761	Hospitals	Institutions with an organized medical staff which provide medical care to patients.	Hospital
D000766	Anesthesia, Dental	A range of methods used to reduce pain and anxiety during dental procedures.	Dental Anesthesia
D000769	Anesthesia, Inhalation	Anesthesia caused by the breathing of anesthetic gases or vapors or by insufflating anesthetic gases or vapors into the respiratory tract.	Insufflation Anesthesia,Anesthesia, Insufflation,Inhalation Anesthesia