Cardiovascular effects of dexmedotomidine for ITU sedation: UK results of a multi-centre study (St George's, University College, St Thomas's and Bristol Royal Infirmary Hospitals)

Cj Bradshaw,R Spencer,D Brealey,Rm Venn,Rm Grounds,M Singer,Sm Willatts,D Treacher,E Caudwell

doi:10.1186/cc606

Abstract

Cardiovascular effects of dexmedotomidine for ITU sedation: UK results of a multi-centre study (St George's, University College, St Thomas's and Bristol Royal Infirmary Hospitals)

Highlights

Ill patients requiring intensive care are at risk of iatrogenic ocular damage
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) management of critically ill patients often includes the requirement for tracheostomy and feeding access, most often a pecutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)
Percutaneous tracheostomy is performed routinely in many medical intensive care unit (ICU) settings, in high risk surgical and trauma patients who often have unstable cervical spine injury and tissue edema, direct visualization of the cervical structures and trachea is imperative during tracheostomy

Summary

Introduction

Ill patients requiring intensive care are at risk of iatrogenic ocular damage. We designed an experimental situation where external cardiac pressure conditions were controlled and adjusted to physiological extremes to mimic clinically relevant situations, while cardiac performance was assessed using left ventricular pressure–volume relationships (LVPVR) which are relatively preload and afterload independent This prospective, controlled study was undertaken to evaluate the response to therapy aimed at achieving supranormal cardiac and oxygen transport values (cardiac index >4.5 l/min/m2, oxygen delivery >600 l/min/m2, and oxygen consumption >170 l/min/m2) in patients older than 60 or with previous severe cardiorespiratory illnesses, who have undergone elective extensive ablative surgery planned for carcinoma or abdominal aortic aneurism. Whilst some human studies conducted in the critically ill and in high risk surgical patients have suggested that dopexamine may cause an increase in tonometrically measured gastric intra-mucosal pH (pHi) and an improvement in clinical outcome, this has not been confirmed in other randomised trials. In the present study the association of platelet function to inflammatory markers indicating disease severity was investigated

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