Drugs

, Volume 75, Issue 10, pp 1119–1130 | Cite as

Dexmedetomidine: A Review of Its Use for Sedation in the Intensive Care Setting

Adis Drug Evaluation
First Online:

Abstract

Dexmedetomidine (Dexdor®) is a highly selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist. It has sedative, analgesic and opioid-sparing effects and is suitable for short- and longer-term sedation in an intensive care setting. In the randomized, double-blind, multicentre MIDEX and PRODEX trials, longer-term sedation with dexmedetomidine was noninferior to midazolam and propofol in terms of time spent at the target sedation range, as well as being associated with a shorter time to extubation than midazolam or propofol, and a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation than midazolam. Patients receiving dexmedetomidine were also easier to rouse, more co-operative and better able to communicate than patients receiving midazolam or propofol. Dexmedetomidine had beneficial effects on delirium in some randomized, controlled trials (e.g. patients receiving dexmedetomidine were less likely to experience delirium than patients receiving midazolam, propofol or remifentanil and had more delirium- and coma-free days than patients receiving lorazepam). Intravenous dexmedetomidine had an acceptable tolerability profile; hypotension, hypertension and bradycardia were the most commonly reported adverse reactions. In conclusion, dexmedetomidine is an important option for sedation in the intensive care setting.

Keywords

Midazolam Remifentanil Intensive Care Unit Stay Dexmedetomidine Intensive Care Patient 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes

Disclosure

The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding. During the peer review process, the manufacturer of the agent under review was offered an opportunity to comment on this article. Changes resulting from comments received were made by the author on the basis of scientific and editorial merit. Gillian Keating is a salaried employee of Adis/Springer.

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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.SpringerAucklandNew Zealand

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