Light sedation or no-sedation in ICU: patient experience matters

Dear Editor, We have been using sedation for a long time in intensive care units for patients on mechanical ventilation. Sedation aims at facilitating the patient’s ability to remain comfortably connected to the ventilator and minimize oxygen consumption. The strategies for sedation vary from deep sedation and light sedation to nosedation. For the last two decades, light sedation with daily interruption is being practiced by most ICUs...

Sedation During Neurocritical Care

Sedation is an essential therapeutic strategy in the care of neurocritical patients. Intravenous sedative agents are the most widely used, with promising alternatives (dexmedetomidine, ketamine, and volatile agents) to propofol and midazolam arising. Studies designed to evaluate superiority and avoid biases are required. A neurological awakening test is safe in most patients. Potential risks and benefits of limiting deep sedation and daily interruption of sedation in these patients remain unclear. The aim of this review was to report recent clinical evidence on sedation in this subgroup of patients, focusing on its effects on clinical prognosis.

A Protocol of No Sedation for Critically Ill Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation

This chapter provides a summary of the landmark study known as a protocol of no sedation for critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation: a randomized trial. Can duration of mechanical ventilation be reduced with a protocol of no sedation versus daily interruption of sedation? Starting with that question, it describes the basics of the study, including funding, study location, who was studied, how many patients, study design, study intervention, follow-up, endpoints, results, and criticism and limitations. The chapter briefly reviews other relevant studies and information, discusses implications, and concludes with a relevant clinical case. Understanding that not all patients receiving mechanical ventilation require sedation is an important first step to determining the best regimen.

Daily Interruption of Sedative Infusions in Critically Ill Patients Undergoing Mechanical Ventilation

This chapter provides a summary of a landmark study in critical care medicine. Does the daily interruption of continuous sedative infusions in critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation and the duration of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU)? This chapter describes the study designed to answer that question including funding, study location, patient population, study design, study intervention, follow-up, endpoints, results, and criticism and limitations. The chapter briefly reviews other relevant context and studies, discusses implications, and concludes with a relevant clinical case. This was the first randomized-controlled trial to demonstrate that daily sedation interruption for mechanically ventilated medical ICU patients is safe and may reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the ICU.