Medication | Dose range* | Onset | Duration | Comments |
Midazolam | 0.5 to 2 mg IV prior to propofol over 2 to 3 minutes; may repeat after 2 to 5 minutes | 1 to 2.5 minutes | 10 to 40 minutes | - Potentiates the effects of other agents[1]
- Sedative and anxiolytic
- Prolonged effect or delayed recovery in older adults, obese, or impaired hepatic function
|
Propofol | 250 to 500 mcg/kg IV bolus | 30 seconds | 5 to 10 minutes | - Sedative and amnestic, no analgesia
- Rapid recovery without residual
- Pain on injection common
- Respiratory depression and hypotension can occur
- Reduce dose by 20% in older adults
|
25 to 75 mcg/kg/minute IV infusion | 3 to 4 minutes, without bolus | 4 minutes after discontinuation of infusion |
Dexmedetomidine | Loading: 0.5 to 1 mcg/kg over 10 to 20 minutes[2] | 5 to 10 minutes | 30 to 40 minutes[1] | - Sedative, analgesic, without amnesia
- Bradycardia and hypotension or hypertension may occur
|
Maintenance: 0.2 to 1 mcg/kg/hour |
Ketamine | 0.25 to 0.5 mg/kg IV | 1 to 2 minutes | 20 to 60 minutes | - Dissociative sedative, amnestic, analgesic
- Minimal cardiac or respiratory depression in small doses
- Emergence reactions, nausea and vomiting possible
- Prolonged effect in older adults
|
Opioids | | | | - Analgesic, minimal sedation
- Respiratory depression, nausea and vomiting may occur
|
Fentanyl | 0.5 to 2 mcg/kg IV, administered in intermittent boluses of 25 to 50 mcg IV | 2 to 3 minutes | 30 to 60 minutes | |
Remifentanil | 0.1 mcg/kg/minute IV, started 5 minutes prior to stimulus; wean to 0.05 mcg/kg/minute IV as possible¶ | 1 to 1.5 minutes | 3 to 5 minutes after discontinuation of infusion | |