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Related Concept Videos

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
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...
CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines01:14

CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines

CNS depressants include drugs from the category of barbiturates and benzodiazepines. They are valuable medications for managing anxiety disorders and insomnia. Barbiturates, once used to induce and maintain sleep, have been replaced mainly by benzodiazepines due to barbiturate's toxicity, tolerance, and overdose risks. They interact with GABAA receptors, leading to sedation at low doses and potentially coma and death at higher doses. Phenobarbital, a long-acting barbiturate, possesses...
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...
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...
Management of Insomnia01:19

Management of Insomnia

The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
07:54

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Published on: December 6, 2016

Sedation & immunomodulation.

Robert D Sanders1, Tracy Hussell, Mervyn Maze

  • 1Magill Department of Anaesthetics, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, SW10 9NH, London, UK. robert.sanders@imperial.ac.uk

Critical Care Clinics
|July 7, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Sedatives like benzodiazepines and opioids may worsen infection outcomes in critically ill patients. Alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists like dexmedetomidine show potential for improved infection outcomes, warranting careful sedation choices.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
07:54

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Published on: December 6, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Critical care medicine
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Critically ill patients require sedatives and analgesics for comfort and cooperation.
  • Commonly used sedatives include propofol, benzodiazepines, opioids, and alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists.
  • These agents significantly impact multiple organ systems, including the immune system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the immunologic effects of common critical care sedatives.
  • To evaluate the impact of these sedatives on infection outcomes in animal models.
  • To inform sedation choices for preserving immune function in critically ill patients.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on the immunologic effects of sedatives.
  • Analysis of animal model studies investigating the impact of sedatives on infection outcomes.
  • Comparison of immunologic effects and outcomes associated with different sedative classes.

Main Results:

  • Benzodiazepines and opioids were found to worsen outcomes in animal models of infection.
  • Propofol may also negatively impact infection outcomes, though evidence is less definitive.
  • Preliminary data suggest alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists, specifically dexmedetomidine, may improve outcomes in infectious settings.

Conclusions:

  • The choice of sedative in critical care may significantly influence immune responses and patient outcomes.
  • Sedatives like benzodiazepines and opioids may impair host defense mechanisms against infection.
  • Alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists represent a potentially immune-preserving alternative, particularly in patients with sepsis or secondary infections.