Anaesthetics

Local anaesthetics are drugs used to prevent or relieve pain in specific regions of the body without producing unconsciousness. They block pain sensation by blocking conduction of pain impulses through nerves.Motor blockade and autonomic blockade are also observed as part of local anaesthetic action.Local anaesthetic drugs are widely used in dentistry and surgical specialities for providing surface anaesthesia, infiltrative anaesthesia or for nerve block. They are indispensable for the anaesthetist, in providing Regional Anaesthesia.The drug lignocaine find an unique place in crash cart for CPR and in emergency medicine trolley for treating arrhythmias.No pain management services can run without using local anaesthetics.However precaution must be taken while using them as chances of toxicity or side effects are high and may even be fatal. Manifestations of toxic reaction may range from minor urticaria or edema to very severe neurological toxcity or severe cardiovascular collapse.So basic resuscitation equipments and essential drugs should be kept ready before administering LAs to any patient. A brief review of local anaesthetic toxicity and its management, is given here.