Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of remifentanil: an update in the year 2000

Abstract

Remifentanil is still in its infancy in terms of postmarketing development. Its appropriate role in modern anesthesia care is still being defined and reports of novel clinical applications for remifentanil are frequently appearing in the anesthesia literature. This review will focus on selected advances in our understanding of remifentanil pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and on newly proposed clinical applications for remifentanil.