Sedation in the Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

To minimize patient discomfort in the intensive care unit (ICU), sedation has become an integral part of critical care practice. Sedation reduces the stress response, provides anxiolysis, improves tolerance of ventilatory support, and facilitates nursing care.^1-3 Unfortunately, sedatives have adverse effects, have the potential to prolong mechanical ventilation, and may increase health care costs. An ideal sedative agent would have rapid onset of action, be effective at providing adequate sedation, allow rapid recovery after discontinuation, be easy to administer, lack drug accumulation, have few adverse effects, interact minimally with other drugs, and be inexpensive.