Skip to main content
NCBI home page
British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.) logoLink to British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.)
. 1987 Feb 14;294(6569):397–400. doi: 10.1136/bmj.294.6569.397

Propofol infusion for sedation in the intensive care unit: preliminary report.

R M Grounds, J M Lalor, J Lumley, D Royston, M Morgan
PMCID: PMC1245409  PMID: 3101895

Abstract

Propofol (2,6,di-isopropylphenol) was given by continuous intravenous infusion to provide sedation after cardiac surgery in 30 patients and its effects compared with those of midazolam given to a further 30 patients. Propofol infusion allowed rapid and accurate control of the level of sedation, which was satisfactory for longer than with midazolam. Patients given propofol recovered significantly more rapidly from their sedation once they had fulfilled the criteria for weaning from artificial ventilation and as a result spent a significantly shorter time attached to a ventilator. There were no serious complications in either group. Both medical and nursing staff considered the propofol infusion to be superior to midazolam in these patients. These findings suggest that propofol is a suitable replacement for etomidate and alphaxalone-alphadolone for sedating patients receiving intensive care.

Full text

PDF
397

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Accumulation of midazolam in patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1984 Nov 10;289(6454):1309–1309. doi: 10.1136/bmj.289.6454.1309. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Byatt C. M., Lewis L. D., Dawling S., Cochrane G. M. Accumulation of midazolam after repeated dosage in patients receiving mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1984 Sep 29;289(6448):799–800. doi: 10.1136/bmj.289.6448.799. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Coates D. P., Prys-Roberts C., Spelina K. R., Monk C. R., Norley I. Propofol ('Diprivan') by intravenous infusion with nitrous oxide: dose requirements and haemodynamic effects. Postgrad Med J. 1985;61 (Suppl 3):76–79. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dundee J., Halliday N. J., Fee J. P. Midazolam in intensive care. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1984 Dec 1;289(6457):1540–1540. doi: 10.1136/bmj.289.6457.1540-a. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Foster G. H., Conway W. A., Pamulkov N., Lester J. L., Magilligan D. J., Jr Early extubation after coronary artery bypass: brief report. Crit Care Med. 1984 Nov;12(11):994–996. doi: 10.1097/00003246-198411000-00017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gast P. H., Fisher A., Sear J. W. Intensive care sedation now. Lancet. 1984 Oct 13;2(8407):863–864. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)90892-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Grounds R. M., Twigley A. J., Carli F., Whitwam J. G., Morgan M. The haemodynamic effects of intravenous induction. Comparison of the effects of thiopentone and propofol. Anaesthesia. 1985 Aug;40(8):735–740. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1985.tb10996.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jessop E., Grounds R. M., Morgan M., Lumley J. Comparison of infusions of propofol and methohexitone to provide light general anaesthesia during surgery with regional blockade. Br J Anaesth. 1985 Dec;57(12):1173–1177. doi: 10.1093/bja/57.12.1173. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Klineberg P. L., Geer R. T., Hirsh R. A., Aukburg S. J. Early extubation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Crit Care Med. 1977 Nov-Dec;5(6):272–274. doi: 10.1097/00003246-197711000-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Ledingham I. M., Watt I. Influence of sedation on mortality in critically ill multiple trauma patients. Lancet. 1983 Jun 4;1(8336):1270–1270. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)92712-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Mackenzie N., Grant I. S. Comparison of the new emulsion formulation of propofol with methohexitone and thiopentone for induction of anaesthesia in day cases. Br J Anaesth. 1985 Aug;57(8):725–731. doi: 10.1093/bja/57.8.725. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. McQuay H., Moore A. Be aware of renal function when prescribing morphine. Lancet. 1984 Aug 4;2(8397):284–285. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)90323-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Nunn J. F., Sharer N. M., Gorchein A., Jones J. A., Wickramasinghe S. N. Megaloblastic haemopoiesis after multiple short-term exposure to nitrous oxide. Lancet. 1982 Jun 19;1(8286):1379–1381. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(82)92499-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. O'Callaghan A. C., Normandale J. P., Grundy E. M., Lumley J., Morgan M. Continuous intravenous infusion of disoprofol (ICI 35868, Diprivan). Comparison with Althesin to cover surgery under local analgesia. Anaesthesia. 1982 Mar;37(3):295–300. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1982.tb01102.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Ramsay M. A., Savege T. M., Simpson B. R., Goodwin R. Controlled sedation with alphaxalone-alphadolone. Br Med J. 1974 Jun 22;2(5920):656–659. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5920.656. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Rolly G., Versichelen L., Herregods L. Cumulative experience with propofol ('Diprivan') as an agent for the induction and maintenance of anaesthesia. Postgrad Med J. 1985;61 (Suppl 3):96–100. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Scott D. B., Beamish D., Hudson I. N., Jostell K. G. Prolonged infusion of chlormethiazole in intensive care. Br J Anaesth. 1980 May;52(5):541–545. doi: 10.1093/bja/52.5.541. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Taylor M. B., Grounds R. M., Mulrooney P. D., Morgan M. Ventilatory effects of propofol during induction of anaesthesia. Comparison with thiopentone. Anaesthesia. 1986 Aug;41(8):816–820. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1986.tb13123.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. de Grood P. M., Ruys A. H., van Egmond J., Booij L. H., Crul J. F. Propofol ('Diprivan') emulsion for total intravenous anaesthesia. Postgrad Med J. 1985;61 (Suppl 3):65–69. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Medical Journal (Clinical research ed.) are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES