Conscious sedation: what an internist needs to know

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The use of conscious sedation instead of general anesthesia is increasing with the development of less-invasive alternatives to surgery and the shift to outpatient care. Yet, conscious sedation can pose its own special dangers. Common pitfalls include failure to recognize hypoxemia, inadequate analgesia, inappropriate dosing with respect to individual variability, and lack of appropriate backup support.