The use of propofol in palliative medicine.
Occasionally, terminal ill patients with severe agitated delirium are extremely difficult to sedate, either becoming too deeply sedated when undisturbed or severely agitated when disturbed. This situation occurs even with the short-acting benzodiazepines such as midazolam. This paper describes the use of a low-dose infusion of the anesthetic agent propofol (Diprivan, Zenica), which has a very short length of action and allows the depth of sedation to be easily controlled from minute to minute.
Moyle
J
J
Hospice of Our Lady and St. John, Willen Village, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.
D000368:Aged; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003693:Delirium / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D015742:Propofol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013727:Terminal Care
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D015742:Propofol