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Propofol infusion for sedation in intensive care
Author(s) -
NEWMAN L. H.,
McDONALD J. C.,
WALLACE P. G. M.,
LEDINGHAM I. McA.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1987.tb05362.x
Subject(s) - medicine , propofol , sedation , anesthesia , intensive care , intensive care medicine
Summary Ten patients, with a range of illness severity, received a continuous 8‐hour infusion of undiluted propofol for sedation while undergoing mechanical ventilation in a general intensive care unit. The level of sedation was assessed hourly and measurements were made of haemodynamic, respiratory, haematological and biochemical variables. Sedation remained satisfactory in most patients throughout the study period, with only occasional alterations in infusion rate, and eight patients required further sedative therapy within 45 minutes of discontinuation of the propofol infusion. Arterial pressure tended to decrease from baseline values; mean and diastolic pressures demonstrated a significant decrease (p < 0.05) at 4, 7 and 8 hours during the infusion. Adrenal steroidogenesis was not inhibited significantly. Propofol infusion proved to he a useful and readily controllable sedative agent, and discontinuation of the drug was followed by rapid recovery in most cases. The critically ill may be particularly sensitive to the cardiovascular depressant properties of the drug.