Sedation and delirium in the intensive care unit

Sedation is an important aspect of intensive care practice. Utilized effectively it can reduce suffering on the intensive care unit. Strategies for providing sedation and the various pharmacological options are discussed in this article. Delirium is common in the intensive care unit and is important to recognize because of the association with increases in both morbidity and mortality. Various strategies exist for identifying and managing delirium. This article examines how delirium can be identified and both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment strategies.