Medicinal nitrous oxide in hospitals and clinics Medicinal nitrous oxide has a long record of clinical use.

It can be combined with clinically used hypnotics, analgesics, and anaesthetics.

It acts synergistically when combined with other inhaled or intravenous anaesthetic agents.

It has little effect on respiration and circulation during anaesthesia. Spontaneous breathing is relatively better preserved using the combination of medicinal nitrous oxide and any of the commonly used inhaled anaesthetics than when using a potent inhaled anaesthetic alone.

Its rapid ‘wash-in’ (uptake) and ‘wash-out’ (fast elimination) together with its ability to maintain spontaneous respiration allow faster emergence when used with a modern inhaled anaesthetic than when the anaesthetic is used alone.