#336: The Dangers of Local Anesthetics

Local anesthetics are medications that block nerve impulses so that pain signals aren’t transmitted to the brain. The result is that the anesthetized area is numb and pain is controlled.  Just because local anesthetics are “local” doesn’t mean systemic toxicity can’t occur. Local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) occurs when local anesthetics extend into the system at toxic levels. It most typically occurs due to the physician accidentally injecting the medication into the intravascular space. However, it can also be from locally administered overdose, which leads to systemic toxicity.  Hit play on this episode to dive into local anesthetic systemic toxicity so you can understand which of your patients are at highest risk and what to watch for! ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references. A-List Newsletter - Get on the “A-List” and get a notification each Thursday about the current episode, Nurse Mo’s Tip of the Week, product recommendations to make your nurse life better, and more! FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Pharmacology Success Pack - Want to get a head start on pharmacology? Download the FREE Pharmacology Success Pack. Fast Pharmacology - Learn pharmacology concepts in 5 minutes or less in this audio based program. Perfect for on-the-go review! 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight a Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices