Is Level of Sedation in Mechanically Ventilated ED Patients Important?

In this prospective observational study, deep sedation in the emergency department was not clearly associated with worse clinical outcomes.

Early deep sedation in the intensive care unit (ICU) has been associated with harm (Crit Care Med 2017; 46:471), but data on the effect of sedation depth in mechanically ventilated emergency department (ED) patients are sparse.

To examine the association between ED depth of sedation and clinical outcomes, researchers performed a prospective observational study of all adult patients mechanically ventilated in 15 EDs. Exclusion criteria were <24 hours of mechanical ventilation, transfer to another hospital, neurologic injury, and chronic need for mechanical ventilation. Deep sedation was defined as Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) score of −3 to −5.

Of 1094 screened patients, 324 were included in the analysis. Deep sedation occurred in …

Reviewing Author

Benton R. Hunter, MD

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine (Chair, Evidence Based Healthcare Interest Group)

Benton R. Hunter, MD

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine (Chair, Evidence Based Healthcare Interest Group)

Is Level of Sedation in Mechanically Ventilated ED Patients Important?

Topics

Reviewing Author