Related Experiment Videos
[Sedation of children on respirators. A questionnaire study on therapeutic strategies and withdrawal problems]
Y H Rasmussen1, L Fonsmark, P Carl
1Anaestesiologisk/intensiv afdeling 542, Hvidovre Hospital.
Insights
Sedative use in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) primarily involved morphine and midazolam. While most units lacked sedation protocols, drug withdrawal was seen as a problem by those treating more children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Practice
Context:
- Sedation is crucial for mechanically ventilated children in intensive care.
- Current practices in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) regarding sedative agents and withdrawal are not well-defined.
- Understanding sedative agent patterns is essential for optimizing patient care and safety.
Purpose:
- To investigate the common sedative agents used in Danish PICUs.
- To identify the prevalence and perceived severity of sedative drug withdrawal in pediatric patients.
- To assess the existence and adherence to sedation protocols within PICUs.
Summary:
- A survey of 24 Danish PICUs revealed morphine and midazolam as the most frequently used sedative agents.
- Most participating PICUs reported a lack of standardized sedation protocols.
- While the majority of units did not perceive drug withdrawal as a significant issue, those with higher patient volumes identified it as a concern.
Impact:
- Highlights the need for standardized sedation protocols in PICUs to manage drug use and withdrawal effectively.
- Informs clinical practice regarding the choice of sedative agents and potential adverse events in pediatric critical care.
- Suggests that the incidence of sedative withdrawal may be underestimated in PICUs with lower patient loads.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to identify the patterns of use of sedative agents and withdrawal problems in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A questionnaire survey was mailed to 46 Danish intensive care units. Only 24 of these treated paediatric patients needing mechanical ventilation. The agents most frequently employed were morphine and midazolam. There was general satisfaction with the used drugs. The majority of departments noted that there was no protocol for sedation in their PICU. The majority of departments (70.8%) did not consider drug withdrawal to be a problem, but those departments who treated most children considered drug withdrawal to be a problem.