Disposition of Alfentanil, a New Analgesic Agent, in Man

Abstract

Preliminary clinical studies in man have propounded the use of alfentanil (R 39209, Jans-sen Pharmaceuticals) for two completely different applications in anaesthesia. The very rapid onset of action (one-third that of fentanyl), the very short duration of action (also one-third that of fentanyl) and the dose-related analgesia make the drug particularly suited to providing analgesia for short surgical procedures and outpatient surgery^(1,2). The same advantages of alfentanil together with its hypnotic properties in high doses and its prolonged postoperative analgesia without clinically significant respiratory depression have prompted the use of this narcotic drug for cardiac surgery⁽³⁾.