Question

Define Minimal Alveolar Concentration (MAC) of inhaled anaesthetic agents.

Hint:

MAC is a useful concept to assess the potency of inhaled anaesthetics. The lower the MAC, the more potent the anaesthetic agent.

Answer 1

Step 1: Definition of MAC.
Minimal Alveolar Concentration (MAC) is the concentration of an inhaled anaesthetic agent in the alveoli that prevents movement in 50% of patients exposed to a standard surgical stimulus. It is used as a measure of the potency of inhaled anaesthetics. A lower MAC value indicates a more potent anaesthetic agent, as it requires a lower concentration to achieve the desired effect of preventing movement during surgery.