What is the approximate half-life of sufentanil?

What is the approximate half-life of sufentanil?

• A. 2 hours.
• B. 4 hours.
• C. 6 hours.
• D. 12 hours.

Answer: (C)

Half-life is the time it takes for the plasma concentration to drop by half. Sufentanil is extremely lipophilic and highly potent, so after IV administration it rapidly moves into tissues. This redistribution means the drug is pulled out of the blood and stored in tissue compartments, then slowly released back into circulation for elimination. In anesthesia practice, this tissue redistribution lengthens the overall duration of effect, so the apparent (or context-sensitive) half-life can span several hours. Among common estimates, about six hours is a reasonable approximation for sufentanil’s half-life, whereas shorter values would miss the extended redistribution, and much longer values would overstate it.

Half-life is the time it takes for the plasma concentration to drop by half. Sufentanil is extremely lipophilic and highly potent, so after IV administration it rapidly moves into tissues. This redistribution means the drug is pulled out of the blood and stored in tissue compartments, then slowly released back into circulation for elimination. In anesthesia practice, this tissue redistribution lengthens the overall duration of effect, so the apparent (or context-sensitive) half-life can span several hours. Among common estimates, about six hours is a reasonable approximation for sufentanil’s half-life, whereas shorter values would miss the extended redistribution, and much longer values would overstate it.