The effect of propofol on patient reaction time and its relationship with loss of verbal contact before induction of anaesthesia*

Abstract

Increasing the calculated plasma concentration of propofol has been shown to increase choice reaction time and visual and auditory response times. We studied the relationship of reaction to a vibrating handset as the effect-site target-controlled propofol concentration was incrementally increased in 20 patients during sedation, before induction of general anaesthesia. The reaction time increased, initially slowly and then more rapidly, as the calculated effect-site concentration of propofol increased, until the reaction to the vibrating handset was lost at a mean (SD) propofol effect-site concentration of 2.0 (0.6) μg.ml(-1) . The loss of response to verbal contact occurred at a propofol effect-site concentration of 2.4 (0.5) μg.ml(-1) . Reaction time may be of use clinically to warn of impending loss of verbal contact.