Dexmedetomidine for Postoperative Delirium Prevention in the Older Adult: An Integrative Review

The brain and cognition are particularly vulnerable to anesthetic and surgical insults, with postoperative delirium being the most common postoperative complication in patients aged ≥ 65 years. The body releases psychoactive proinflammatory cytokines in response to surgical trauma, including interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. This promotes a porous blood-brain barrier, promoting postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Aging adults lose brain volume, cerebrospinal fluid, and dendritic synapses, thereby increasing neurologic stress and vulnerability to these surgical changes. Anesthetic technique influences the process, necessitating the importance of educated certified registered nurse anesthetists. Dexmedetomidine, a nonspecific α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties that counteract the proinflammatory mechanisms initiated by surgical insult. Additionally, dexmedetomidine mimics natural sleep pathways and reduces opioid dosing requirements, promoting cognitive preservation. While further research is required to establish an association with long-term effects, current literature indicates that dexmedetomidine may reduce postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction in older adults through various dosing regimens. This journal course reviews the pathophysiology of postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction and delirium, dexmedetomidine as an adjunct to mitigate these pathologic changes, and the current literature on dexmedetomidine's impact on postoperative delirium in older adults.