[Climate footprint of halogenated inhalation anesthetics]

Lakartidningen. 2019 Oct 10:116:FR9L.
[Article in Swedish]

Abstract

This study estimated the climate footprint of halogenated inhalation anesthetics in Sweden and estimated effects of a decreased use of these compounds. We collected data on sales of desflurane, sevoflurane and isoflurane in Sweden during 2017 and calculated the mass of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) using Global Warming Potential data over 100 years for the compounds. Inhalation anesthetics contributed by 5000 tons of CO2e which corresponds to 0.005 percent of the Swedish climate footprint. By replacing desflurane with sevoflurane the footprint can be reduced by 73 percent. By replacing sevoflurane with intravenous propofol the climate effect can be reduced further by at least 2 orders of magnitude.

MeSH terms

  • Anesthetics, Inhalation* / analysis
  • Anesthetics, Inhalation* / chemistry
  • Anesthetics, Intravenous / analysis
  • Anesthetics, Intravenous / chemistry
  • Carbon Footprint*
  • Desflurane / analysis
  • Desflurane / chemistry
  • Global Warming
  • Humans
  • Isoflurane / analysis
  • Isoflurane / chemistry
  • Nitrous Oxide / analysis
  • Nitrous Oxide / chemistry
  • Propofol / administration & dosage
  • Propofol / analysis
  • Propofol / chemistry
  • Sevoflurane / analysis
  • Sevoflurane / chemistry
  • Sweden

Substances

  • Anesthetics, Inhalation
  • Anesthetics, Intravenous
  • Sevoflurane
  • Desflurane
  • Isoflurane
  • Nitrous Oxide
  • Propofol