Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride: Has propofol met its match?

Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride: Has propofol met its match?

Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride may be useful for sedation in dental treatment, according to a new report published in the July–September 2009 issue of Anesthesia Progress.

Sedation is commonly induced with propofol, but use of this agent is often marked by high respiratory depression, and the sedative actions are less sleeplike than is preferable. In an attempt to determine a reasonable alternative, the authors of the current study compared the effects of propofol with those of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride.

Fourteen patients scheduled for surgery at Matsumoto Dental University Hospital in Nagano, Japan, were randomly divided into two groups. One group received propofol, the other received dexmedetomidine hydrochloride. Blood pressure, heart rate, arterial blood oxygen saturation, and the bispectral index (BIS) were measured initially for control and then at prescribed intervals throughout the treatment. Patients also filled out a questionnaire the day after treatment to determine memory presence or absence both at the injection of local anesthesia and at the start of treatment, and to determine the comfortableness of sedation.

No significant differences were noted between the two groups in any of the parameters; however, the group given dexmedetomidine hydrochloride was marked by hemodynamic changes, so close monitoring is recommended. Furthermore, evaluation methods other than the BIS must be developed because this method makes it difficult to evaluate intraoperative sedation levels.

To read the entire article, “Psychosedation With Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride During Minor Oral Surgery,” please visit: http://www2.allenpress.com/pdf/ANPR56.3FIN.pdf

Anesthesia Progress is the official publication of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (ADSA). The journal invites submissions of review articles, reports on clinical techniques, case reports, conference summaries, and articles of opinion pertinent to the control of pain and anxiety in dentistry. To learn more about the ADSA, visit: http://www.adsahome.org/