Intermittent dosing cuts time to extubation for surgical patients

SAN ANTONIO – Intermittent administration of sedation and analgesia significantly reduced mechanical ventilation time among surgical patients requiring ventilation, according to a preliminary analysis of a randomized trial.

Additionally, the researchers found that much lower amounts of sedation and analgesia were given to patients who underwent intermittent dosing, compared with patients who received a continuous infusion.

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Of the 95 patients in the trial, 39 were randomized to intermittent dosing and 56 to the control group of continuous infusion, with the drugs midazolam and fentanyl having been given to both groups.