Sufentanil is a drug that belongs to the class of drugs known as the opioid analgesic drugs. It is also known as Sufentanyl in several countries. Sufentanil is marketed for use by specialist centres under different trade names, such as Sufenta. The main use of this medication is in operating suites and critical care where pain relief is required for a short period of time. It also offers properties of sedation and this makes it a good analgesic component of anaesthetic regime during an operation. It is usually administered under the doctor's order through an intravenous route. It is essential for the administering doctor to be trained in airway management with readily available airway equipment because the drug causes significant respiratory depression and may cause respiratory arrest if given too much too rapidly. Other opioid side effects such as heart rhythm irregularity, blood pressure changes and nausea / vomiting can also be present in patients given this drug and should be dealt with accordingly by the doctor.
