Safe and Efficacious Use of Dexmedetomidine over a Prolonged Duration for Anxiolysis and as an Adjunct to Analgesia during End-of-Life Care

Kent CD Kaufman BS Lowy J . Dexmedetomidine facilitates the withdrawal of ventilatory support in palliative care. Anesthesiology 2005; 103(2): 439–441.

Roberts SB Wozencraft CP Coyne PJ . Dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant analgesic for intractable cancer pain. J Palliat Med 2011; 14(3): 371–373. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2010.0235.

Soares LG Naylor C Martins MA . Dexmedetomidine: A new option for intractable distress in the dying. J Pain Symptom Manage 2002; 24(1): 6–8.

Karol MD Maze M . Pharmacokinetics and interaction pharmacodynamics of dexmedetomidine in humans. Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol 2000; 14(2): 261–269. doi: 10.1053/bean.2000.0081.

Haselman MA . Dexmedetomidine: A useful adjunct to consider in some high-risk situations. AANA J 2008; 76(5): 335–339.

Precedex®. Package insert, document EN-2680. Lake Forest (IL): Hospira Inc.; Sept. 2010. Accessed Oct. 21, 2015. http://medlibrary.org/lib/rx/meds/precedex-1/

Jacobi J Fraser GL Coursin DB . Clinical practice guidelines for the sustained use of sedatives and analgesics in the critically ill adult. Crit Care Med 2002; 30(1): 119–141.

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Precedex (dexmedetomidine hydrochloride) injection. Detailed view: Safety labeling changes approved by FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) – October 2010. Silver Spring (MD): FDA; 2010. Accessed September 22, 2015. www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch/safetyinformation/ucm233675.htm

Komasawa N Kimura Y Hato A . [Three successful cases of continuous dexmedetomidine infusion for the treatment of intractable delirium associated with cancer pain.] Masui 2013; 62(12): 1450–1452. [Japanese]