The potential for addiction in anesthesia providers

The potential for addiction among anesthesia providers is a major issue in the anesthesia workplace. The incidence of alcoholism and other forms of impairment (such as mental illness) in all health care providers is similar to that in other professions, but anesthesia providers have a higher rate of substance use disorders. The drug of choice for anesthesia personnel entering treatment for substance abuse is usually an opioid, most commonly fentanyl and sufentanil, although anesthesia providers have reported abuse of propofol, ketamine, sodium thiopental, lidocaine, nitrous oxide, and the potent volatile anesthetics as well.