Abstract
The current article focuses on lidocaine and its uses as it is a widespread anesthetic. The main purpose is to analyze the compound’s properties, describe the structure, determine biological activities, summarize a peer-reviewed article, and consider the use of lidocaine from a Christian worldview. Lidocaine’s formula is C14H22N2O, and it represents an effective anesthetic that blocks sodium channels. This substance is a white or slightly yellow crystalline powder with a characteristic odor. However, it is typically administered as an injection in the healthcare industry.
Thus, lidocaine is used as a local anesthetic, antiarrhythmic treatment, and chronic pain management agent. The selected peer-reviewed article comments on its potential side effects and required responses. Finally, a Christian worldview justifies using this substance in the medical industry. Thus, lidocaine is a helpful and integral element of everyday life.
Introduction
Chemical compounds are integral and significant elements of modern life because they bring multiple benefits in various spheres. Some individuals who are not familiar with chemistry are not aware that some common substances are chemical compounds. Suitable examples include soaps, vinegar, alcohol, table salt, and other commonly used products. Lidocaine is another suitable compound that is actively used in the medical sphere. Thus, it is reasonable to analyze its chemical and physical properties, comment on its biological activity, describe scholarly evidence on the topic, and apply the Christian worldview to the selected compound.
Chemical and Physical Properties, Including Structure
Lidocaine is a commonly known name of the compound but is not the only possible variant. This substance is additionally called lignocaine, while Xylocaine is its brand name, under which it is sold (National Institute of Health, 2023). This compound is characterized by a few chemical properties that deserve attention. Lidocaine is a monocarboxylic acid amide that is created when N, N-diethylglycine is condensed with 2,6-dimethylaniline (National Institute of Health, 2023).
The description of chemical properties should simultaneously focus on the compound’s chemical formula and molecular weight. Lidocaine is represented as C14H22N2O, while its weight is 234.34 g/mol (National Institute of Health, 2023). In addition, the National Institute of Health (2023) allows for locating a chemical structure image mentioned below. Figure 1 demonstrates that a lipophilic aromatic ring, a secondary amine group, and an amide linkage establish the chemical structure of the selected compound.
All these chemical properties justify the fact that lidocaine is effectively used in health care. This compound is a local anesthetic that numbs the sensation of tissues since it blocks sodium channels, which denotes that local tissues cannot send sensational signals to the brain (National Institute of Health, 2023). In addition to that, lidocaine is an environmental contaminant, xenobiotic, anti-arrhythmia drug, and a drug allergen. That is why this compound is very important for people.
At this point, it is reasonable to comment on the physical properties of lidocaine. It is a solid that is typically represented by a white or yellowish crystalline powder that is additionally distinguished by a characteristic odor (National Institute of Health, 2023). Its melting point is at 68ºC, while lidocaine is better solved in ethanol or chloroform than in water (National Institute of Health, 2023). In the healthcare industry, the compound is found as a lidocaine hydrochloride solution that is used as an injection to cause anesthesia.
Biological Activity
As has been mentioned above, lidocaine has a few uses in the healthcare industry. That is why it is reasonable to analyze its biological activity to determine why and how the compound acts within each area. First, lidocaine is effectively used as a local anesthetic during dermatological treatments, dental interventions, and minor surgical procedures. It numbs the required areas and reduces pain because it blocks voltage-gated sodium channels (National Institute of Health, 2023). This compound is typically administered as an injection, but it can additionally be found as a topical cream or gel.
Second, lidocaine is a significant compound because it is effective in cardiac arrhythmia treatment. This substance is intravenously injected when it is necessary to affect the heart’s electrical activity and address issues associated with it. Suitable diagnoses include ventricular tachycardia, cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, and pulseless ventricular tachycardia (National Institute of Health, 2023). That is why it is not reasonable to state that lidocaine use is only limited to its anesthetic properties.
Third, the given compound manifests its efficiency in chronic pain management. This biological activity refers to substances of local application, including gel, creams, and patches. When these are administered to the affected areas, they provide localized relief from pain. This property is effective and requested by patients with post-surgical, joint, neuropathic, and other types of chronic and severe pain (National Institute of Health, 2023). Thus, the three examples above demonstrate the most notable biological activities of lidocaine.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Article
Since lidocaine is widespread in the medical industry, it is vital to know more about its potential adverse effects. A scholarly, peer-reviewed article by Bahar and Yoon (2021) focuses on this topic. This resource is relevant because the authors consider the application of this compound because it is widely used in dentistry. Even though allergic reactions are not frequent, their severity can range from mild to life-threatening, which denotes that this issue should receive adequate attention (Bahar & Yoon, 2021).
The article is additionally informative because it generated a few valuable findings. First, scholars indicate that the administration of this compound can lead to itching, rash, edema, tachycardia, dyspnea, severe bronchospasm, cardiovascular collapse, and other challenging conditions (Bahar & Yoon, 2021). Second, the researchers indicate that since such adverse effects are possible, medical professionals should know how to manage them.
Appropriate response plans should rely on individual assessment of patient needs, provision of life support, pharmacological management of anaphylactic reactions, and the application of antihistamines, epinephrine, and analgesia (Bahar & Yoon, 2021). These findings demonstrate that lidocaine should receive adequate attention in the medical sphere.
It is additionally reasonable to comment on the practical implications of these findings. Bahar and Yoon (2021) clearly indicate that the administration of lidocaine can lead to negative consequences. That is why if healthcare providers work with the selected compound, they should be aware of these potential side effects. Thus, the article’s leading implication is to help dentists, anesthesiologists, and other appropriate medical providers understand what to do if their patients show symptoms of allergy to lidocaine. These professionals should know a management plan because a timely response can minimize the negative impacts on people’s health.
Christian Worldview
One can effectively apply some Christian worldview principles to the use of lidocaine. On the one hand, Christians draw much attention to compassion, and this moral implication denotes that people should help others overcome their suffering and pain. In particular, the Holy Scripture states that God can ensure that there will be no mourning, crying, and pain (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Revelation. 21:4). This information demonstrates that the use of anesthetics is aligned with the Bible because they help meet God’s desires.
On the other hand, one should analyze lidocaine through the prism of stewardship of the Earth’s resources. It has been mentioned above that the compound is responsible for environmental contamination. Further analysis reveals that this negative impact is associated with the disposal of unused medications and wastewater treatment. Even though these issues adversely affect the environment, it is impossible to state that the use of lidocaine violates any moral standards. This ethical dilemma is solved because the advantages of this compound significantly outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Conclusion
The presented information has clearly demonstrated that lidocaine plays an important role in modern life. This compound is effectively used in various spheres of the medical industry because it is a widely used anesthetic. Medical professionals typically administer this product to paralyze people’s ability to feel pain, while other uses are simultaneously found. This compound has particular physical and chemical properties that explain its biological activity.
Many scholarly articles focus on this substance, and one peer-reviewed source was discussed because it considered potential side effects. Medical professionals should be aware of this phenomenon to know how to respond to such consequences. Finally, the use of lidocaine is aligned with a Christian worldview because this compound addresses stewardship and compassion values.
References
Bahar, E., & Yoon, H. (2021). Lidocaine: A local anesthetic, its adverse effects, and management. Medicina, 57(8), 1-10. Web.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. Web.
National Institute of Health. (2023). Compound summary: Lidocaine. Web.