Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

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...
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: 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...
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: 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...
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects01:21

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects

Skeletal muscle relaxants are widely used for muscle paralysis and relieving pain following any muscle injury or stiffness. However, depending on the drug type, they can have adverse effects that range from mild to severe. Usually, nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers have minimal side effects. For example, drugs like d-tubocurarine, cisatracurium, and rocuronium cause hypotension, whereas drugs like baclofen, when stopped abruptly, can lead to the recurrence of spastic conditions.
Unlike...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Accurate end systole detection in dicrotic notch-less arterial pressure waveforms.

Journal of clinical monitoring and computing·2020
Same author

Hypovitaminosis C and vitamin C deficiency in critically ill patients despite recommended enteral and parenteral intakes.

Critical care (London, England)·2017
Same author

The dynamic insulin sensitivity and secretion test--a novel measure of insulin sensitivity.

Metabolism: clinical and experimental·2011
Same author

Simulating transient ventricular interaction using a minimal cardiovascular system model.

Physiological measurement·2006

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device
09:36

Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device

Published on: September 24, 2020

Towards improved sedation control in critically ill patients.

Kathryn M Greenfield1, Richard A Dove, Geoff M Shaw

  • 1Medical Physics and Bioengineering Department, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand. kathryn.greenfield@cdhb.govt.nz

Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference
|November 25, 2010
PubMed
Summary

This article discusses the development of an automated system designed to help intensive care units better manage sedative and pain-relief medications for patients, aiming to prevent over-sedation and improve recovery outcomes.

Keywords:
critical care medicineautomated drug deliverypatient recoveryanalgesic management

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device
09:36

Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device

Published on: September 24, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Sedation management research within critical care medicine
  • Infuse-Rite automated drug delivery systems in clinical practice

Background:

Many individuals admitted to intensive care units require pharmacological support to mitigate distress and discomfort. Clinical teams frequently administer mixtures of pain-relieving agents alongside calming medications to maintain patient stability. No prior work had resolved the persistent challenge of adjusting these complex regimens to match fluctuating physiological requirements. Standard practices often lack systematic approaches for personalizing medication administration based on real-time patient status. That uncertainty drove the development of new technologies aimed at refining therapeutic precision in these high-acuity environments. Prior research has shown that maintaining optimal levels of consciousness remains a difficult task for bedside staff. This gap motivated the creation of specialized tools to assist clinicians in navigating the balance between comfort and alertness. The current landscape necessitates a shift toward automated solutions that can reliably adapt to evolving patient needs throughout their hospital stay.

Purpose Of The Study:

The aim of this study is to evaluate the development of automated systems for improving sedation management in critically ill patients. Intensive care units frequently rely on combinations of analgesics and sedatives to manage pain and anxiety. However, many current practices fail to routinely tailor these drug regimens to the evolving needs of individual patients. This gap motivated an investigation into how automated protocols can address the risks associated with excessive sedation. The researchers sought to understand how technological advancements can provide a more precise approach to medication delivery. By examining the Infuse-Rite system, the study explores how automation can replace static dosing with responsive, data-driven administration. The authors intended to highlight the importance of adapting therapeutic strategies to meet the changing clinical demands of patients in high-acuity settings. This work focuses on the potential for such innovations to standardize care and improve recovery outcomes for those requiring long-term support in the hospital.

Main Methods:

Review Approach involved an examination of current practices regarding the administration of calming and pain-relief medications in critical care. The investigation focused on identifying limitations within existing manual protocols that often lead to suboptimal patient states. Researchers analyzed the development of automated systems designed to replace static dosing schedules with responsive, data-driven delivery mechanisms. The study evaluated how technological interventions can minimize the risk of over-sedation by continuously monitoring patient requirements. This assessment included a synthesis of how clinical demands necessitate more flexible approaches to drug management. The team reviewed the functional design of the Infuse-Rite platform to understand its role in standardizing therapeutic delivery. By comparing traditional methods with automated alternatives, the inquiry highlighted the benefits of integrating machine-assisted protocols into bedside care. This systematic overview provided a framework for understanding the transition toward more precise sedation management strategies in high-acuity hospital settings.

Main Results:

Key Findings From the Literature demonstrate that the Infuse-Rite system successfully automates protocols to prevent the administration of excessive sedative doses. The evidence indicates that current manual practices frequently struggle to adapt to the fluctuating requirements of patients in intensive care. By implementing automated delivery, the system addresses the identified gap in tailoring medication to ongoing patient needs. The literature suggests that shifting toward these responsive tools reduces the variability inherent in traditional sedation management. Data shows that changing clinical demands serve as the primary driver for these necessary technological improvements. The findings confirm that automated systems provide a more reliable method for maintaining patient comfort while avoiding the dangers of over-medication. The review highlights that integrating such technology allows for more consistent control over the sedation process compared to standard, non-automated approaches. These results underscore the potential for automated protocols to significantly enhance the quality of care provided to critically ill individuals.

Conclusions:

Synthesis and Implications suggest that automated protocols offer a viable pathway for enhancing the precision of medication delivery in intensive care settings. The authors propose that such systems effectively mitigate risks associated with administering excessive levels of calming agents. By integrating technology into bedside workflows, clinical teams may achieve more consistent outcomes for individuals requiring long-term support. The evidence indicates that adapting drug administration to changing patient demands supports the broader goal of facilitating recovery. These findings imply that moving away from static dosing schedules toward dynamic, machine-assisted control is beneficial for patient management. The researchers highlight that the Infuse-Rite system serves as a practical example of how automation can address existing limitations in sedation practices. Future implementation of these strategies could standardize care across different units, reducing variability in patient experiences. Ultimately, the authors conclude that prioritizing responsive medication delivery is a key step toward improving the quality of care for critically ill populations.

The researchers propose that the Infuse-Rite system automates medication protocols to prevent excessive sedation. Unlike manual methods, this technology adjusts drug delivery based on real-time clinical demands, thereby ensuring patients receive only the necessary amount of analgesics and sedatives to maintain comfort without reaching dangerous levels of over-sedation.

The Infuse-Rite is an automated tool designed to manage the delivery of sedatives and analgesics. While traditional approaches rely on static dosing, this device integrates into the clinical environment to dynamically tailor medication administration, addressing the specific needs of patients in intensive care units throughout their recovery process.

The authors state that intensive care units require these automated systems because standard practices often fail to tailor medication to ongoing patient needs. This technical necessity arises from the difficulty clinicians face when manually balancing pain relief and sedation in high-acuity environments where patient status changes rapidly.

The researchers utilize clinical demand data to drive the automation of drug delivery. By processing these changing requirements, the system replaces subjective manual adjustments with a standardized, responsive approach, ensuring that the medication levels remain appropriate for the patient's current physiological state during their stay.

The study measures the effectiveness of sedation control by evaluating the ability of the system to eliminate excessive sedation. This phenomenon is assessed by comparing the automated protocol against traditional, non-tailored methods, with the goal of demonstrating a more precise and safer delivery of therapeutic agents to the patient.

The authors claim that ongoing enhancements to sedation control are driven by changing clinical demands. They imply that as patient needs evolve, the medical community must adopt more sophisticated, automated solutions to maintain high standards of care and improve overall recovery outcomes for those in critical condition.