Continuous Remimazolam Administration by Gastroenterologists for Endoscopic Sedation.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy necessitates safe and effective sedation.
• Remimazolam, an ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine, presents potential advantages over traditional sedatives like midazolam and propofol due to its rapid onset, short half-life, and favorable safety profile.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and patient satisfaction of continuous remimazolam infusion administered by gastroenterologists for GI endoscopy.

Main Methods:

• Prospective registry study involving patients with ASA physical status I and II undergoing standard endoscopic procedures.
• Continuous remimazolam infusion with as-needed boluses.
• Monitoring of vital signs and assessment of patient satisfaction via standardized questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Successful sedation in all 159 procedures (141 patients).
• Mean recovery time of 3.3 minutes.
• High patient satisfaction (97% reported sufficient comfort, average score 8.1/10).
• Transient adverse events (hypotension, hypoxia) in 11.3% of patients were manageable.

Conclusions:

• Continuous remimazolam infusion by gastroenterologists is a safe and effective alternative to propofol for GI endoscopy sedation.
• Offers stable sedation, rapid recovery, and high patient satisfaction.
• May reduce anesthesiology workload and enhance procedural efficiency.