title: Sedatives and antagonists in the management of severely head-injured patients.
abstract: Continuous intravenous sedation is often prescribed during the intensive treatment of severe head injury. It is known that intravenous hypnotics may prevent or treat the brief intracranial hypertension episodes associated with nociceptive stimuli, like tracheal intubation. However there is yet no clear evidence in the literature showing beneficial effects of sedation in severely head-injured patients on intracranial pressure control or outcome. Sedation should be primarily administered in neurotraumatology to allow good conditions for intensive treatment, while avoiding any depressive cardiovascular action. The abrupt reversal of sedation by means of specific antagonists may induce significant elevation of both cerebral blood flow and intracranial pressure and should be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Chiolero
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Tribolet
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003422:Critical Care; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives