Sedatives in Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: Review Article

Abstract

Background: Sedation helps patients to tolerate uncomfortable gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures by relieving anxiety and pain. It decreases the risk of physical injury during gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures, also provides the endoscopist a good environment for  an optimum examination. In addition, an appropriate level of sedation is necessary for safe procedures including therapeutic  endoscopy. The goals of sedation are analgesia, amnesia, immobility during the procedure, ability to complete the procedure and quick  patient recovery to pre-procedure level of consciousness. In recent years, the need to a safe and effective sedation has increased in  practice. Therefore, new sedatives and analgesic drugs for optimal sedated endoscopy have recently emerged. This article reviews the  characteristics of new innovations sedatives and analgesics drug, and describe their clinical use in gastrointestinal endoscopy.   Conclusions: Judicious use of sedation can alleviate the sympathetic response (rise in heart rate and systolic blood pressure) to the  procedure. Midazolam and propofol are the most commonly used drugs in sedated endoscopy