CRAVING DOMINATES PROPOFOL ADDICTION OF AN AFFECTED PHYSICIAN

We report a case of severe dependence on propofol. For over a year, a 30-year-old male resident anesthesiologist injected 100-200 Dig of propofol 20 to 40 times a day, reaching a daily total of up to 4 g. Compared to other withdrawal symptoms, craving for propofol was much more pronounced. Tolerance of the desired effects (cloudy and euphoric relaxation at his intravenous self-administration of 100 mg as well as sleep induction at 200 mg propofol) was not noticed by the patient. No other addiction was found in his history before he became dependent on propofol. This emphasizes that, especially with the patient's high injection rate, propofol has a powerful potential to be addictive. In most hospitals, the staff is put at risk by nonregulated dispensation and too easy access to this anesthetic drug.