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Related Concept Videos

Stages of General Anesthesia01:22

Stages of General Anesthesia

Various sedation levels offer significant advantages in facilitating procedural interventions for patients undergoing medical or invasive surgical procedures. These levels span from anxiolysis to general anesthesia, providing a spectrum of sedative effects to cater to specific patient needs. Anxiolysis reduces anxiety and is achieved through minimal sedation, enabling patients to remain awake and responsive while feeling more at ease during the procedure. This level can benefit minor...
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview01:23

Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview

Sedatives are drugs that alleviate anxiety, while hypnotics induce sleep. Both classes of medication suppress neuronal activity, leading to a calming effect for sedatives and facilitating sleep for hypnotics.
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines01:19

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines have both sedative and hypnotic properties. They include compounds such as diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax). Structurally, their cores are similar, consisting of the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring, but they share a common mechanism of action in the central nervous system (CNS).
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview01:20

Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

Inhalation anesthetics are drugs that induce general anesthesia upon inhalation. They work by increasing the sensitivity of GABAA receptors or inhibiting NMDA receptors, leading to a decrease in central nervous system activity. The depth of anesthesia can be rapidly adjusted by changing the concentration of the inhaled gas. Some common examples of inhalational anesthetics include volatile liquids like isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and gases like xenon and nitrous oxide. Isoflurane, a...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates01:20

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a drug class that acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to alleviate anxiety, promote relaxation and induce sleep.These drugs function by amplifying the actions of the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), resulting in reduced neuronal activity. Barbiturates, a subset of sedatives and hypnotics first synthesized in the late 1800s, are categorized into ultra-short, short, intermediate, and long-acting groups based on their duration of effect. A key...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Evaluation of Capnography Sampling Line Compatibility and Accuracy when Used with a Portable Capnography Monitor
07:51

Evaluation of Capnography Sampling Line Compatibility and Accuracy when Used with a Portable Capnography Monitor

Published on: September 29, 2020

Current sedation practices: lessons learned from international surveys.

Sangeeta Mehta1, Iain McCullagh, Lisa Burry

  • 1Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada. geeta.mehta@utoronto.ca

Critical Care Clinics
|July 7, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Optimizing sedation and analgesia in intensive care units (ICUs) is crucial for patient outcomes. This review examines current practices and identifies barriers to implementing evidence-based sedation management strategies for mechanically ventilated adults.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Evaluation of Capnography Sampling Line Compatibility and Accuracy when Used with a Portable Capnography Monitor
07:51

Evaluation of Capnography Sampling Line Compatibility and Accuracy when Used with a Portable Capnography Monitor

Published on: September 29, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Patient Safety

Background:

  • Sedation and analgesia profoundly impact patient outcomes in intensive care units (ICUs), influencing factors like over/undersedation, pain control, and delirium.
  • Evidence-based strategies, including individualized management, sedation assessment tools, protocols, and daily interruption, can improve clinical results.
  • Despite established guidelines and trials, the adoption of these proven methods into routine clinical practice remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate current sedation and analgesia management practices for mechanically ventilated adults in the ICU.
  • To present findings from surveys and practice audits on sedation and analgesia.
  • To summarize international critical care sedation practices and identify areas for improvement.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature, including randomized trials and clinical guidelines.
  • Analysis of data from surveys detailing clinicians' self-reported practices.
  • Evaluation of prospective practice audits assessing real-world sedation management.

Main Results:

  • Significant variability exists in current sedation and analgesia practices across ICUs.
  • Barriers to the uptake of evidence-based strategies include lack of awareness, resources, and institutional support.
  • Practice audits reveal discrepancies between recommended and actual clinical application of sedation management tools.

Conclusions:

  • There is a critical need to bridge the gap between evidence-based guidelines and routine clinical practice in ICU sedation and analgesia.
  • Targeted education and interventions based on survey and audit findings are necessary to improve sedation management.
  • Further research and consistent implementation of best practices are essential for optimizing patient outcomes in critical care settings.