Peak effect is observed within 1 to 3 minutes after an intravenous bolus dose. The very short onset and duration of action of remifentanil offers advantages over the other opioids in surgical anesthesia. Some of these include easy titration intraoperatively, lack of accumulation during repeat bolus injection or prolonged infusion, a more rapid reduction in effect site concentration after infusion termination, and lack of dependence upon hepatic metabolism. As with fentanyl, sufentanil, and alfentanil, remifentanil is not associated with histamine release. Adverse events associated with remifentanil administration include rigidity, nausea, vomiting, respiratory depression, reduced systolic blood pressure and reduced heart rate.
Naloxone reverses hypoxic ventilatory depression induced by remifentanil.
Coadministration of remifentanil with beta blockers may result in hypotension and bradycardia. The severity and frequency of this potential drug interaction is unknown. The enzyme inhibition drug interactions reported with alfentanil should not occur with remifentanil since its metabolism is not dependent on the cytochrome P450 system. Remifentanil is used for the induction of anesthesia, and therefore the coadministration of this agent with food is non-applicable. 5mg Tablets MGI Pharma Oral pilocarpine is indicated for the treatment of the symptoms of xerostomia from salivary gland hypofunction caused by radiotherapy for cancer of the head and neck.