Journal of intensive care medicine
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J Intensive Care Med · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized, double-blind pilot study of dexmedetomidine versus midazolam for intensive care unit sedation: patient recall of their experiences and short-term psychological outcomes.
Sedation with dexmedetomidine may facilitate ventilator liberation and limit the occurrence of delirium. No trial has assessed patient recall or the development of psychological outcomes after dexmedetomidine sedation. This pilot study evaluated whether transitioning benzodiazepine sedation to dexmedetomidine alters patient recall and the incidence of anxiety, depression, or acute stress disorder (ASD). ⋯ Transitioning benzodiazepine sedation to dexmedetomidine when patients qualify for daily awakenings may reduce the development of delirium and facilitate remembrance of ICU experiences but may lead to manifestations of ASD. Monitoring hypotension is required for both the sedatives. Additional comparative studies focusing on the long-term impact of ICU recall and psychological outcomes are needed.