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As a side effect of medicines or recreational drugs, hypoventilation may become potentially life-threatening.Many different central nervous system (CNS) depressant drugs such as ethanol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, GHB, sedatives, and opioids produce respiratory depression when taken in large or excessive doses, or mixed with other depressants.
Sedation scales are used in medical situations in conjunction with a medical history in assessing the applicable degree of sedation in patients in order to avoid under-sedation (the patient risks experiencing pain or distress) and over-sedation (the patient risks side effects such as suppression of breathing, which might lead to death).
PSA can cause several complications. These include allergic reactions, over-sedation, respiratory depression, and hemodynamic effects. These typically depend on the sedative agent used. Some agents are more likely to cause complications than others, but all sedative agents can cause complications if not used properly.
This level, called moderate sedation/analgesia or conscious sedation, causes a drug induced depression of consciousness during which the patient responds purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied with light physical stimulation. Breathing tubes are not required for this type of anesthesia. This is twilight anesthesia. [2]
It is however mostly used in mechanically ventilated patients in order to avoid over and under-sedation. Obtaining a RASS score is the first step in administering the Confusion Assessment Method in the ICU (CAM-ICU), [4] a tool to detect delirium in intensive care unit patients. The RASS is one of many sedation scales used in medicine.
Inhalation sedation with nitrous oxide/oxygen is a well recognised safe and effective technique. The desirable effect of the procedure is to relax the patient while maintaining verbal contact. Compared to other sedation agents, it causes minimal physiological stress to the patient and risk of loss of consciousness is less likely.
Dexmedetomidine, sold under the brand name Precedex among others, is a medication used for sedation. [4] Veterinarians use dexmedetomidine for similar purposes in treating cats, dogs, and horses. [10] [11] It is also used in humans to treat acute agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. [5]
One common sign of respiratory arrest is cyanosis, a bluish discoloration of the skin resulting from an inadequate amount of oxygen in the blood. If respiratory arrest remains without any treatment, cardiac arrest will occur within minutes of hypoxemia, hypercapnia or both. At this point, patients will be unconscious or about to become unconscious.