The Immunomodulatory Effects of Anesthetic and Analgesic Agents

Anesthetic and sedative agents are among the most commonly used medications in critically ill patients. They alleviate pain and anxiety, and facilitate intensive care unit (ICU) care by rendering tolerable interventions that would otherwise be akin to torture — mechanical ventilation, dressing changes, cardioversion, and invasive procedures such as line insertion or bronchoscopy, to name a few. These agents modulate the function of the central and peripheral nervous systems. However they have effects on other organs that are often unanticipated, and occasionally profound.