New Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs

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Abstract
Neuromuscular blocking drugs are routinely used during the administration of anesthesia to allow surgical access to body cavities, in particular the abdomen and thorax, without hindrance from voluntary or reflex muscle movement. The introduction of these agents in 1942 marked a major advance in anesthesia and surgery, allowing the anesthesiologist to maintain respiratory function during prolonged and complex surgery. Neuromuscular blocking drugs are also used in the care of critically ill patients undergoing intensive therapy, to facilitate compliance with mechanical ventilation when sedation and analgesia alone have proved inadequate. In this review, I describe the pharmacology and uses of neuromuscular . . .