title: The sedation of critically ill adults: Part 1: Assessment. The first in a two-part series focuses on assessing sedated patients in the ICU.
abstract: The prevention or treatment of pain, anxiety, and delirium in the ICU is an important goal. But achieving a balance between sedation and analgesia, especially in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation, can be challenging. Both under- and oversedation carry serious risks. In 2002 the Society of Critical Care Medicine, along with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, updated recommendations in its clinical practice guidelines for the sustained use of sedatives and analgesics in adults. This two-part series examines those recommendations that relate to sedation assessment and management, as well as the current literature. This month Part 1 also reviews pertinent recommendations concerning pain and delirium and discusses tools for assessing pain, delirium, and sedation. In August Part 2 will explore pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management of anxiety and agitation in critically ill patients. The prevention or treatment of pain, anxiety, and delirium in the ICU is an important goal. But achieving a balance between sedation and analgesia, especially in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation, can be challenging. Both under- and oversedation carry serious risks. In 2002 the Society of Critical Care Medicine, along with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, updated recommendations in its clinical practice guidelines for the sustained use of sedatives and analgesics in adults. This two-part series examines those recommendations that relate to sedation assessment and management, as well as the current literature. This month Part 1 also reviews pertinent recommendations concerning pain and delirium and discusses tools for assessing pain, delirium, and sedation. In August Part 2 will explore pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management of anxiety and agitation in critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA. brenda.pun@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Brenda T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Pun
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dunn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012121:Respiration, Artificial
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives