[Analgesia and sedation of mechanically ventilated critical patients]

Provision of adequate analgesia and sedation is an essential element in the overall management of critically ill patients who require mechanical ventilation. Familiarity with the regimens used for the different sedatives and analgesic drugs and awareness of their pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics in the context of each patient are essential for provision of the most appropriate treatment. In this article, we review assessment methods, the most recent therapeutic recommendations, and a range of analgesic and sedative drugs.