Remifentanil
Encyclopedic
Encyclopedic
Typical encyclopedia coverage. Cross-reference for important decisions.
- 1 source
- partial dose data
- duration data present
- 19 combo interactions documented
- PubChem toxicity data
- dose data not in PW/TripSit (unverifiable)
- 1 source
- partial dose data
- duration data present
- 19 combo interactions documented
- PubChem toxicity data
- dose data not in PW/TripSit (unverifiable)
Aliases: Ultiva
Summary
Standard anesthetic practice uses continuous infusions of 0.05-0.25 ug/kg/min; analgesia ceases within approximately 5 minutes of pump stoppage due to ester hydrolysis. Context-sensitive half-life is 2-4 minutes regardless of infusion length. Bolus dosing outside monitored settings is strongly discouraged because apnea can occur before the syringe is empty.
Dose Information
Dose basis. Remifentanil is given in clinical practice as a weight-indexed infusion — micrograms per kilogram per minute, titrated by an anaesthetist with airway support immediately available. The flat figures on this page are community-derived and are NOT the clinical dosing; the product label specifies no flat microgram dose at all. Treat them as orientation only. Outside a theatre setting this drug’s margin does not exist: onset is about a minute and apnoea is the expected effect, not a complication.
| ROA | Light | Common | Strong | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intravenous | 10-20ug | - | - | 100+ ug (dangerous) |
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Peak | Offset | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intravenous | 1 min | 1-2 min | 3-5 min | 5-8 min |
Effect Profile
Scores (1–10) curated from multiple sources:
- Effect keyword matching from PsychonautWiki catalog
- Weighted by importance: core (×3), major (×2), minor (×1)
Strong euphoria and pain relief with moderate itching/nausea, low sedation
Add to PsychonautWiki Journal
The PsychonautWiki Journal logging app doesn't include every substance. To track Remifentanil there, start adding an ingestion, search for the name, and choose to add it as a custom substance. Paste these values:
Remifentanil Source: SubstanceSearch (substancesearch.com) Intravenous dose (µg): threshold 5-10ug (slow IV push) · light 10-20ug · heavy 100+ ug (dangerous) Intravenous duration: onset 1m · peak 1-2m · offset 3-5m · total 5-8m · after-effects 5-15m Note: ranges are harm-reduction guidance, not a prescription. Start low, go slow, and test your substances.
The app keeps custom substances simple, so the full dose ranges live in the description text above. Ranges are harm-reduction guidance, not a prescription.
Tolerance
Tolerance Decay
Acute tolerance: develops within a single session — the reset numbers above apply after sustained heavy use, not after one binge. Within-session tachyphylaxis usually resets largely overnight.
Clinically, meaningful tolerance to remifentanil’s analgesia can develop within hours of infusion; tolerance decays over days to weeks after cessation. Values are approximate and based on clinical observations of acute tolerance rather than long-term dependence.
Cross-Tolerances
Effects
- Physical euphoria
- Pain relief
- Analgesia
- Respiratory depression
- Bodily control impairment
- Nausea
- Sedation
- Itchiness
- Pupil constriction
- Muscle rigidity
- Cognitive euphoria
- Reduced anxiety
- Euphoria
- Anxiety suppression
- Mood lift
- Constipation
- Compulsive redosing
- Dizziness
- Motor control loss
- Physical autonomy
- Warmth
- Color enhancement
- Increased music appreciation
- Brightened colour
- Light sensitivity
- Appetite suppression
- Disinhibition
- Dehydration
- Dulled perception
- Drifting
Combinations
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