SedationSedation Administration Timing: Intermittent Dosing Reduces Time to Extubation

SATIRE is a prospective, randomized control trial assessing two methods of administration of intravenous sedation and narcotics in surgical patients requiring mechanical ventilation. Many hospitals use a continuous infusion method of administering these medications. The investigators hypothesize that intermittent, bolus/sliding-scale based administration will lead to less medication being given and subsequently decrease the amount of time on mechanical ventilation without compromising patient comfort or level of sedation.

Patients are randomized into a control arm (continuous infusion) and a trial arm (sliding scale hourly bolus) using versed for sedation and fentanyl for pain medication. Inclusion criteria are surgical patients requiring mechanical ventilation, including trauma patients, post operative patients, etc.

Primary end point is total time of mechanical ventilation in each arm. Secondary end points are amount of medication given, time in ICU, time to discharge. Mortality and adverse events in both arms are recorded and reported to the Institutional Review Board for monitoring.