General anesthesia is a medical state induced in patients to achieve a reversible loss of consciousness and sensation, allowing surgical procedures to be performed without pain or awareness. It involves the administration of anesthetic drugs that affect the entire body, leading to unconsciousness, muscle relaxation, and analgesia. Subtopics within general anesthesia include preoperative assessment, which marks the initial administration of anesthetic agents; maintenance, involving the continuous adjustment of anesthesia levels throughout the procedure; and emergence, where the patient gradually wakes up post-surgery.