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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) CME: Take the course for this article: Propofol Abuse in Academic Anesthesia Programs Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wischmeyer, P. E. Articles by Henthorn, T. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wischmeyer, P. E. Articles by Henthorn, T. K. Related Collections Economics and Health Care Research Patient Safety Pharmacology

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ECONOMICS, EDUCATION, AND POLICY

A Survey of Propofol Abuse in Academic Anesthesia Programs

Paul E. Wischmeyer, MD^*, Bradley R. Johnson, BS, Joel E. Wilson, MD^*, Colleen Dingmann, RN, PhD^*, Heidi M. Bachman, BS^*, Evan Roller, BS, Zung Vu Tran, PhD, and Thomas K. Henthorn, MD^*

From the *Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado; Department of Chemistry, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana; and Department of Biostatistics, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Paul E. Wischmeyer, MD, Department of Anesthesia, Leprino Office Building (LOB), 12401 East 17th Ave, B113, Aurora, CO 80045. Address e-mail to Paul.Wischmeyer{at}UCHSC.edu.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although propofol has not traditionally been considered a drug of abuse, subanesthetic doses may have an abuse potential. We used this survey to assess prevalence and outcome of propofol abuse in academic anesthesiology programs.

METHODS: E-mail surveys were sent to the 126 academic anesthesiology training programs in the United States.

RESULTS: The survey response rate was 100%. One or more incidents of propofol abuse or diversion in the past 10 yr were reported by 18% of departments. The observed incidence of propofol abuse was 10 per 10,000 anesthesia providers per decade, a fivefold increase from previous surveys of propofol abuse (P = 0.005). Of the 25 reported individuals abusing propofol, 7 died as a result of the propofol abuse (28%), 6 of whom were residents. There was no established system to control or monitor propofol as is done with opioids at 71% of programs. There was an association between lack of control of propofol (e.g., pharmacy accounting) at the time of abuse and incidence of abuse at the program (P = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS: Propofol abuse in academic anesthesiology likely has increased over the last 10 yr. Much of the mortality is in residents. Most programs have no pharmacy accounting or control of propofol stocks. This may be of concern, given that all programs reporting deaths from propofol abuse were centers in which there was no pharmacy accounting for the drug.

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Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999