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Sedation assessment in critically ill adults.
J W Devlin1, G L Fraser, S Kanji
1Department of Pharmacy Services, Detroit Receiving Hospital, University Health Center, 4201 St. Antoine Blvd., Detroit, MI 48201-2403, USA. jdevlin@dmc.org
The Annals of Pharmacotherapy
|January 17, 2002
Summary
Assessing sedation in the intensive care unit (ICU) using validated tools can improve patient care. Further research is needed to confirm the impact of these sedation assessment instruments on quality of care and ICU length of stay.
Area of Science:
- Critical care medicine
- Clinical pharmacology
Background:
- Sedation is frequently used in critically ill adults to manage anxiety and agitation.
- Effective sedation management is crucial for patient comfort and safety in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review methods for assessing sedation in critically ill adults.
- To discuss the impact of sedation assessment on patient outcomes.
- To provide recommendations for implementing sedation assessment in clinical practice.
Main Methods:
- Computerized and manual literature searches were conducted.
- Sedation assessment tools and objective methods used in adult, critically ill patients were identified.
- Emphasis was placed on prospectively validated instruments.
Main Results:
- Twenty-three adult sedation assessment instruments were identified.
- Few scales demonstrated prospective validation for reliability or validity.
- Other methods, like the bispectral index monitor, have limited study in critically ill populations.
Conclusions:
- Implementing sedation assessment in ICU practice may enhance patient care.
- Further evaluation of sedation assessment instruments is necessary to determine their effect on care quality and ICU length of stay.