English

Abstract

Patients requiring mechanical ventilation usually needs adequate sedation and analgesia to facilitate their care. Dexmedetomidine, a short-acting alpha-2-agonist, possesses anxiolytic, anesthetic, hypnotic, and analgesic properties. AIM: The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the safety and efficacy of iv infusion of Dexmedetomidine with iv infusion of propofol for sedation in post-operative ICU patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients who were ambulatory and who required the post-operative mechanical ventilation or post-operative sedation were enrolled, in which 25 patients received Dexmedetomidine and remaining 25 patients received propofol. All these patients were treated for the period of 8 to 24 h. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analyzed using Student's t-test and Chi-square test. The value of P< 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Demographic data were comparable. Pulse rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure were comparable. Depth of sedation is similar. To maintain analgesia throughout the study period, patients receiving propofol infusions required significantly more analgesics than patients receiving Dexmedetomidine. CONCLUSIONS: Dexmedetomidine appears to be a safe and acceptable ICU sedative agent.