Revista española de anestesiología y reanimación
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Surgical patients and others admitted to recovery and intensive care units require sedation and pain therapy, for which a range of pharmaceuticals is available. Their use is more or less widespread, but other drugs, such as dexmedetomidine, have been and continue to be studied for application in such patients. Dexmedetomidine, a compound derived from imidazole, has a high affinity for the alpha-2 adrenoreceptor, on which it acts as a potent agonist. ⋯ Moreover, its effect on ventilation is scarce. Dexmedetomidine is presently distributed in the United States but not in the European Union. The aim of this review was to outline the main pharmacological properties of dexmedetomidine, including its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, to give an overall view of this promising drug.