Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2007;11(6):R124.
doi: 10.1186/cc6189.

Changes in sedation management in German intensive care units between 2002 and 2006: a national follow-up survey

Jörg Martin  1 , Martin Franck, Stefan Sigel, Manfred Weiss, Claudia Spies
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Changes in sedation management in German intensive care units between 2002 and 2006: a national follow-up survey

Jörg Martin et al. Crit Care. 2007.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study, conducted in 2006, was to find out whether changes in sedation management in German intensive care units took place in comparison with our survey from 2002.

Methods: We conducted a follow-up survey with a descriptive and comparative cross-sectional multi-center design. A postal survey was sent between January and May 2006, up to four times, to the same 269 hospitals that participated in our first survey in 2002. The same questionnaire as in 2002 was used with a few additional questions.

Results: Two hundred fourteen (82%) hospitals replied. Sixty-seven percent of the hospitals carried out changes in sedation management since the 2002 survey. Reasons for changes were published literature (46%), national guidelines (29%), and scientific lectures (32%). Sedation protocols (8% versus 52%) and a sedation scale (21% versus 46%) were used significantly more frequently. During sedation periods of up to 24 hours, significantly less midazolam was used (46% versus 35%). In comparison to 2002, sufentanil and epidural analgesia were used much more frequently in all phases of sedation, and fentanyl more rarely. For periods of greater than 72 hours, remifentanil was used more often. A daily sedation break was introduced by 34% of the hospitals, and a pain scale by 21%.

Conclusion: The increased implementation of protocols and scoring systems for the measurement of sedation depth and analgesia, a daily sedation break, and the use of more short-acting analgesics and sedatives account for more patient-oriented analgesia and sedation in 2006 compared with 2002.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Kress JP, Hall JB. Sedation in the mechanically ventilated patient. Crit Care Med. 2006;34:2541–2546. doi: 10.1097/01.CCM.0000239117.39890.E3. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kress JP, Pohlman AS, O'Connor MF, Hall JB. Daily interruption of sedative infusions in critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:1471–1477. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200005183422002. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Freire AX, Afessa B, Cawley P, Phelps S, Bridges L. Characteristics associated with analgesia ordering in the intensive care unit and relationships with outcome. Crit Care Med. 2002;30:2468–2472. doi: 10.1097/00003246-200211000-00011. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Riker RR, Fraser GL. Adverse events associated with sedatives, analgesics, and other drugs that provide patient comfort in the intensive care unit. Pharmacotherapy. 2005;25:8S–18S. doi: 10.1592/phco.2005.25.5_Part_2.8S. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Brattebo G, Hofoss D, Flaatten H, Muri AK, Gjerde S, Plsek PE. Effect of a scoring system and protocol for sedation on duration of patients' need for ventilator support in a surgical intensive care unit. BMJ. 2002;324:1386–1389. doi: 10.1136/bmj.324.7350.1386. - DOI - PMC - PubMed