Sedative vs Anesthetic - What's the difference?
sedative | anesthetic |
An agent or drug that sedates, having a calming or soothing effect, or inducing sleep.
(medicine) A substance administered to reduce the perception of pain or to induce numbness. An anesthetic may or may not render the recipient unconscious, depending upon the type used.
* 1994 ,
* 2004 , Jacoby, David B. and Youngson, R. M.,
As adjectives the difference between sedative and anesthetic
is that sedative is while anesthetic is causing the reduction of pain sensitivity.As a noun anesthetic is
(medicine) a substance administered to reduce the perception of pain or to induce numbness an anesthetic may or may not render the recipient unconscious, depending upon the type used.sedative
English
Noun
(en noun)Synonyms
* (agents that cause sleep) sleeping pill, soporific, tranquilizer * (other agents that sedate) anxiolytic, depressant, downerSynonyms
* ataractic * ataraxicReferences
* (wikipedia "sedative")Anagrams
* ----anesthetic
English
Alternative forms
* anaestheticNoun
(en noun)Anesthetics (Ophthalmic)]([http://www.drugs.com/cons/anesthetics-ophthalmic.html original version), Drugs.com:
- After a local anesthetic' is applied to the eye, do not rub or wipe the eye until the ' anesthetic has worn off and feeling in the eye returns.
Encyclopedia of Famiy Health, Marshall Cavendish, pg. 91.
- Modern anesthetics can be divided into several different groups according to how and where they act to reduce pain.
- During premedication, the anesthetist may give a patient drugs that make him or her feel relaxed and drowsy before the actual general anesthetic is administered.
References
* "Anesthetics", 2010 MeSH, National Library of Medicine.