Sedation is one of the most frequently administered therapies in the ICU, yet it is often approached as a matter of comfort alone. In reality, sedation influences nearly every aspect of critical care.
Sedation can affect ventilator duration, delirium risk, hemodynamics, mobilization, and long-term outcomes. Historically, deeply sedated patients were common in intensive care units.
Concerns regarding ventilator synchrony, accidental extubation, and patient discomfort often drove the use of continuous infusions targeting profound sedation.
Over the past two decades, evidence has increasingly supported a different approach. The modern goal is not simply to sedate patients, but to achieve the minimum level of sedation necessary to accomplish specific clinical objectives.