Preanesthetic agent

A preanesthetic agent is a drug that is given before the administration of an anesthetic to make anesthesia more pleasant and safe.

Examples

Examples of preanesthetic agents are:

Acepromazine
atropine
diazepam
Scopolamine
Opioid analgesics, such as morphine, pethidine and buprenorphine.

These drugs are used before the administration of an anesthetic to improve patient comfort, reduce possible side effects such as Postanesthetic shivering, relieve pain, and increase the effectiveness of the anesthetic.