Propofol alone has been a common anesthesia choice for upper gastrointestinal endoscopies, but a recent study has found that propofol in combination with the opiate fentanyl could be a more effective option, according to a Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News report.
Propofol is fast-acting and allows for quicker patient recovery, but often is needed in larger doses to properly anesthetize patients. The combination of propofol and fentanyl can increase respiratory depression and hypotension, but the new study found that when carefully controlled the drug combination can be quite effective for esophagogastroduodenoscopy, according to the report.