Halothane is a halogenated hydrocarbon anesthetic agent that was first synthesized in 1951 and introduced for use in anesthesia in 1956. It became popular due to its pleasant odor and lack of explosiveness, but has been replaced in developed countries by sevoflurane due to the risk of severe liver injury known as halothane hepatitis. Halothane sensitizes the myocardium to catecholamines and is contraindicated in patients with heart failure or those susceptible to arrhythmias. It is still used in the induction and maintenance of anesthesia.

1. Inhalational Anesthetic
Agents.

2. Halothane
• It is a halogenated
hydrocarbon,
chemical formula-
• (2-chloro-2-bromo-
1,1,1- trifluroethane).
Unstable in light,
stored in ambered
colored bottles with
0.01% thymol as a
preservative.

3. History
• 1st
synthesized in the year 1951 by ICI and
introduced to Anesthesia in 1956 by M.
Johnstone in Manchester.
• Since it is not an explosive agent with pleasant
odor it became very popular and continue to
reign till newer drugs like isoflurane, sevoflurane
were made available.
• It is still popular in 3rd
world countries because of
cost factor but in developed countries replaced
by Sevoflurane.

4. Cont-
• It sensitizes the myocardium to catecholamine.
• Repeated uses noted severe Liver injury known
as Halothane Hepatitis, 1in 10,000 cases,
probably because of a metabolite trifluoroacetic
acid. Because of its depressant effect on
myocardium it is contraindicated in patients with
heart failure, susceptible to arrhythmia and in
Pheochromocytoma.

5. Pharmacokinetics

6. Uses
• Induction of Anesthesia.
• Maintenance of Anesthesia.

7. Uses
• Induction of Anesthesia.
• Maintenance of Anesthesia.