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About

The ESAIC is dedicated to supporting professionals in anaesthesiology and intensive care by serving as the hub for development and dissemination of valuable educational, scientific, research, and networking resources.


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Congresses

The ESAIC hosts the Euroanaesthesia and Focus Meeting congresses that serve as platforms for cutting-edge science and innovation in the field. These events bring together experts, foster networking, and facilitate knowledge exchange in anaesthesiology, intensive care, pain management, and perioperative medicine. Euroanaesthesia is one of the world’s largest and most influential scientific congresses for anaesthesia professionals. Held annually throughout Europe, our congress is a contemporary event geared towards education, knowledge exchange and innovation in anaesthesia, intensive care, pain and perioperative medicine, as well as a platform for immense international visibility for scientific research.


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Professional Growth

The ESAIC's mission is to foster and provide exceptional training and educational opportunities. The ESAIC ensures the provision of robust and standardised examination and certification systems to support the professional development of anaesthesiologists and to ensure outstanding future doctors in the field of anaesthesiology and intensive care.


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Research

The ESAIC aims to advance patient outcomes and contribute to the progress of anaesthesiology and intensive care evidence-based practice through research. The ESAIC Clinical Trial Network (CTN), the Academic Contract Research Organisation (A-CRO), the Research Groups and Grants all contribute to the knowledge and clinical advances in the peri-operative setting.


Learn more about the ESAIC Clinical Trial Network (CTN) and the associated studies.

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EU Projects

The ESAIC is actively involved as a consortium member in numerous EU funded projects. Together with healthcare leaders and practitioners, the ESAIC's involvement as an EU project partner is another way that it is improving patient outcomes and ensuring the best care for every patient.


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Sustainability

To ESAIC is committed to implementing the Glasgow Declaration and drive initiatives towards greater environmental sustainability across anaesthesiology and intensive care in Europe.


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Partnerships

The ESAIC works in collaboration with industry, national societies, and specialist societies to promote advancements in anaesthesia and intensive care. The Industry Partnership offers visibility and engagement opportunities for industry participants with ESAIC members, facilitating understanding of specific needs in anaesthesiology and in intensive care. This partnership provides resources for education and avenues for collaborative projects enhancing science, education, and patient safety. The Specialist Societies contribute to high-quality educational opportunities for European anaesthesiologists and intensivists, fostering discussion and sharing, while the National Societies, through NASC, maintain standards, promote events and courses, and facilitate connections. All partnerships collectively drive dialogue, learning, and growth in the anaesthesiology and intensive care sector.


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Guidelines

Guidelines play a crucial role in delivering evidence-based recommendations to healthcare professionals. Within the fields of anaesthesia and intensive care, guidelines are instrumental in standardizing clinical practices and enhancing patient outcomes. For many years, the ESAIC has served as a pivotal platform for facilitating continuous advancements, improving care standards and harmonising clinical management practices across Europe.


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Publications

With over 40 years of publication history, the EJA (European Journal of Anaesthesiology) has established itself as a highly respected and influential journal in its field. It covers a wide range of topics related to anaesthesiology and intensive care medicine, including perioperative medicine, pain management, critical care, resuscitation, and patient safety.


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Membership

Becoming a member of ESAIC implies becoming a part of a vibrant community of nearly 8,000 professionals who exchange best practices and stay updated on the latest developments in anaesthesiology, intensive care and perioperative medicine. ESAIC membership equips you with the tools and resources necessary to enhance your daily professional routine, nurture your career growth, and play an active role in advancing anaesthesiology, intensive care and perioperative medicine.


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ESAIC News

Session 09RC1: New drugs for anaesthesia – ready to go?

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Saturday 28 November, 1500-1545H, Channel 6

In this refresher course session on Saturday afternoon, Professor Michel Struys (University Medical Centre Groningen, Netherlands) will review drugs for anaesthesia that are in the later stages of clinical development (phase 2 or 3 trials), as well as some molecules that are earlier in the process, and some where development has been halted.

Included in his talk is the short-acting benzodiazapine remimazolam. This drug, which is metabolised by carboxylesterases, has a rapid onset and fast recovery compared with other drugs in its class such as lorazepam and midazolam. The drug has a dose-dependent anaesthetic effect, with a moderate effect on haemodynamics – causing a slight decrease in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and a slight increase in heart rate. Side effects include a a dose-related respiratory depression.

Remimazolam has been approved for general anaesthesia and procedural sedation in Japan (where it was developed) and South Korea, and has been recently approved for procedural sedation in China and the USA. The results of phase 3 trials in Europe are expected in the coming months, in early 2021. “It appears this will be the first new hypnotic widely approved in decades for perioperative medicine,” says Prof Struys.

Also included in the talk is alphaxalone/Phaxam, which is actually a reformulation of the existing drug althazene used between 1972-1984. The new product is alphaxalone dissolved in an organic solution with a lipophilic cavity that allows dispersal in water for human use. It is a rapid onset progesterone analogue, and like remimazolam slightly lowers MAP and slightly increases heart rate. The recovery time is fast, similar to propofol.

Side effects of the new formulation are not covered much in publications to date, but could be expected, says Prof Struys, to be similar to those found with althazene. The phase 3 pilot trials of Phaxam were stopped in 2018 due to ‘early goal achievement’ (when compared with propofol), however these results have not yet been reported in the literature.

Among the molecules in preclinical development is ABP-700. This is an etomidate analogue with a rapid onset and offset and similar haemodynamic stability than etomidate, but without adrenal suppression. Side effects include involuntary muscle movements. At this stage, only phase I trials have been completed and new trials will hopefully be initiated soon. Another etomidate analogue is ET26-hydrochloride, however, at this stage, only preclinical information on this molecule can be found.

Professor Struys also includes some molecules where development has been stopped. However he says: “This is not necessarily due to side effect profile or lack of efficacy – it can just be a commercial decision not to progress development now, or to sell to another company who can restart the research.”

One such molecule is AZD-3043, a phenylpropanoid that undergoes rapid metabolism by esterases. This molecule has a dose-related time to onset, and can cause an increase in heart rate, but does not affect MAP. However, despite a rapid recovery profile, the literature highlights involuntary muscle movements as a severe side effect, along with erythema (reddening of the skin and mucous membranes). No further clinical trials have been registered recently.

Professor Struys concludes “Various new molecules are in the pipeline, but it’s too early to be certain which ones will make it to market.”

Read More of our special newsletter covering our virtual congress

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