Study on Early Sedation of Mechanically Ventilated Patients

For many practitioners, sedation is an important component in the management of patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Although pain and anxiety are often controlled with analgesics and sedatives, some studies have shown that over-sedation may actually lead to worsened outcomes.

A recent multicenter cohort study examined data related to 322 patients. ICU and hospital mortality rates were 30.4% and 38.8%, respectively. The study revealed that patients who were treated with early deep sedation experienced longer durations of ventilation support, received more tracheostomies, and had a higher instance of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Based on this data, the study suggests that early deep sedation of patients receiving mechanical ventilation is associated with adverse outcomes and constitutes an independent predictor of mortality. Crit Care. 2014;18(R156).