Critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation require analgesia and sedation. At present, propofol remains the most widely used sedative for intubated/ventilated patients. Recent trials have suggested that dexmedetomidine may reduce delirium and the duration of mechanical ventilation compared with other sedative medications. In fact, recent SCCM guidelines suggest the use of dexmedetomidine over propofol in intubated patients. In this podcast, we discuss a recent randomized trial that compared the effectiveness and safety of a dexmedetomidine-based sedation strategy with a propofol-based sedation strategy in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients.
Airway guru Dr. Ken Butler joins us for this podcast to discuss some great pearls and pitfalls in intubating patients with physiologic derangements that...
Emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitationists often use the Shock Index to identify patients with increased mortality. The Shock Index is calculated by dividing...
Patients with COVID-19 can require supplemental oxygen for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. While international guidelines recommend a target SpO2 between 90-96%, a safe oxygenation...