Which condition would NOT lead to a faster rate of inhalational induction?

Which condition would NOT lead to a faster rate of inhalational induction?

• A. Left to right intracardiac shunt
• B. Right to left intracardiac shunt
• C. Low cardiac output
• D. B:G = 0.5

Answer: (B)

A right to left intracardiac shunt would actually lead to a slower rate of inhalational induction, making it the correct answer for this question. In a right to left shunt, deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart bypasses the lungs and enters the systemic circulation directly. This means that less anesthetic agent is delivered to the lungs for uptake, which ultimately results in a reduced concentration of anesthetic in the bloodstream and therefore a slower induction time. In contrast, a left to right shunt allows for mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, promoting a more efficient delivery of anesthetic agents to the lungs. Low cardiac output may slow the induction process as well, but the other factors listed, like a blood-gas (B:G) partition coefficient of 0.5, indicate a faster induction due to the low solubility of the anesthetic in blood, allowing it to reach the brain more rapidly. Therefore, the right to left shunt is the condition that would lead to a slower rate of inhalational induction, making it the correct choice for this question.

A right to left intracardiac shunt would actually lead to a slower rate of inhalational induction, making it the correct answer for this question. In a right to left shunt, deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart bypasses the lungs and enters the systemic circulation directly. This means that less anesthetic agent is delivered to the lungs for uptake, which ultimately results in a reduced concentration of anesthetic in the bloodstream and therefore a slower induction time.

In contrast, a left to right shunt allows for mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, promoting a more efficient delivery of anesthetic agents to the lungs. Low cardiac output may slow the induction process as well, but the other factors listed, like a blood-gas (B:G) partition coefficient of 0.5, indicate a faster induction due to the low solubility of the anesthetic in blood, allowing it to reach the brain more rapidly. Therefore, the right to left shunt is the condition that would lead to a slower rate of inhalational induction, making it the correct choice for this question.