Sedation-analgesia in intensive care unit patients: Daily interruption by physicians versus continuous management by nurses

Abstract

During the past decade, practice in sedation and analgesia has progressed with the use of new drugs and administration strategies including algorithm-based protocols of drug administration by nurses and daily interruption of sedatives and analgesics. Implementation of each of these strategies has been demonstrated to reduce duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the intensive care unit as well as 6-month mortality rate in one study. In contrast to the daily interruption of sedation which seems easy to implement at the individual level of the primary care physician, implementation of a sedation protocol requires a large education and training of the whole nurse team. This training aims at managing not only the clinical tools used to standardize the subjective assessment of sedation and pain levels but also the sedation protocols of variable complexity. Published trials comparing sedation protocol implementation versus daily interruption of sedation are limited, making difficult any definitive conclusion regarding the feasibility and effectiveness of each of these strategies. Both strategies should not be opposed but considered as complementary. Protocols should be used to avoid overdose in sedation-analgesia and criteria allowing for the daily interruption of sedation-analgesia checked to avoid futile administration. Clinical studies are mandatory to determine which sedation interruption criteria are the most feasible, effective and safe. The impact of pain and neuropsychological disorders after sedation interruption should be also clearly evaluated. Education of nursing staff should be one of the top priority in regards to sedation management and interruption.