Pediatric research
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Review
Use of analgesic and sedative drugs in the NICU: integrating clinical trials and laboratory data.
Recent advances in neonatal intensive care include and are partly attributable to growing attention for comfort and pain control in the term and preterm infant requiring intensive care. Limitation of painful procedures is certainly possible, but most critically ill infants require unavoidable painful or stressful procedures such as intubation, mechanical ventilation, or catheterization. ⋯ Risk/benefit ratios of intermittent boluses or continuous infusions for the commonly used sedative and analgesic agents are discussed in the light of clinical and experimental studies. The limitations of extrapolating experimental results from animals to humans must be considered while making practical recommendations based on the currently available evidence.