A model of the kinetics and dynamics of induction of anaesthesia in sheep: variable estimation for thiopental and comparison with propofol

We describe a six-compartment kinetic and dynamic physiological model of induction of anaesthesia with thiopental. The model included an accurate account of initial drug distribution by representing the inter-relationships between initial vascular mixing, lung kinetics and cardiac output, and the use of the brain as the target organ for anaesthesia (two-compartment submodel with slight membrane limitation). It also accounted for thiopental-induced reductions in cerebral blood flow and cardiac output. Parameters for the model were estimated using hybrid modelling from an extensive in vivo data set collected in sheep. Simulations were used to compare the properties of the thiopental model with an analogous previously published model of propofol. Differences in the blood:brain equilibrium half-lives of thiopental (1.22 min) and propofol (4.32 min) contributed to significant differences in the predicted optimal rate of bolus injection of each agent for inducing anaesthesia in sheep.