Analgesia and Sedation Use During Noninvasive Ventilation for Acute Respiratory Failure
Critical Care Medicine (lww.com)
This study examines the use of analgesia and sedation during noninvasive ventilation (NIV) for acute respiratory failure (ARF) across 1,017 U.S. hospitals. Among 433,357 patients, 26.7% received analgesia or sedation, with opioids (11.7%) and benzodiazepines (9.4%) being most common. Medication use was linked to higher odds of intubation (7.4%) or death (5.6%). Patients receiving any study medication had a 38% increased odds of intubation or mortality (aOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.35–1.40). The study highlights potential risks, especially with combinations like opioids and benzodiazepines, and calls for further research.
We use dexmedetomidine frequently in pts on NIV and does not cause respiratory depression