Propofol infusion for sedation in intensive care

Summary Ten patients, with a range of illness severity, received a continuous 8‐hour infusion of undiluted propofol for sedation while undergoing mechanical ventilation in a general intensive care unit. The level of sedation was assessed hourly and measurements were made of haemodynamic, respiratory...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anaesthesia 1987-09, Vol.42 (9), p.929-937
Main Authors: NEWMAN, L. H., McDONALD, J. C., WALLACE, P. G. M., LEDINGHAM, I. McA
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Anaesthetics, intravenous
propofol
Anesthetics - administration & dosage
Anesthetics. Neuromuscular blocking agents
Biological and medical sciences
Critical Care
Female
Hemodynamics - drug effects
Humans
Hydrocortisone - blood
Hypnotics and Sedatives - blood
Infusions, Intravenous
Intensive care
sedation
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neuropharmacology
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Phenols - administration & dosage
Phenols - blood
Propofol
Respiration, Artificial
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Summary:Summary Ten patients, with a range of illness severity, received a continuous 8‐hour infusion of undiluted propofol for sedation while undergoing mechanical ventilation in a general intensive care unit. The level of sedation was assessed hourly and measurements were made of haemodynamic, respiratory, haematological and biochemical variables. Sedation remained satisfactory in most patients throughout the study period, with only occasional alterations in infusion rate, and eight patients required further sedative therapy within 45 minutes of discontinuation of the propofol infusion. Arterial pressure tended to decrease from baseline values; mean and diastolic pressures demonstrated a significant decrease (p < 0.05) at 4, 7 and 8 hours during the infusion. Adrenal steroidogenesis was not inhibited significantly. Propofol infusion proved to he a useful and readily controllable sedative agent, and discontinuation of the drug was followed by rapid recovery in most cases. The critically ill may be particularly sensitive to the cardiovascular depressant properties of the drug.
ISSN:0003-2409
1365-2044
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2044.1987.tb05362.x