• Anesthetics (general, local, regional) are used to induce anesthesia during surgery, childbirth, dental or diagnostic procedures, and other treatments

• General anesthesia is administered parenterally or by inhalation to produce progressive and reversible stages of CNS depression

• Local anesthetics (topical, injectable) produce anesthesia in small, localized areas

• Regional anesthetics are used for larger areas (spinal, epidural)

• Anesthetic adjuncts are given preoperatively, intraoperatively, or postoperatively to aid in the anesthetic process

• Anesthetic adjuncts (antianxiety agents and sedative/hypnotics, anticholinergics, narcotic analgesics, neuromuscular blocking agents) are used to enhance anesthetic agents.