Clinical sedation scores as indicators of sedative and analgesic drug exposure in intensive care unit patients

Conclusions: Elderly patients are commonly encountered in the ICU setting. Only moderate correlations existed between clinical sedation levels and dose or plasma concentration of sedative/analgesic medications in this study population. Further work is needed to understand appropriate and feasible measures of exposure to sedatives/analgesics relating to clinical outcomes. (Am J Geriatr Pharmacother. 2007;5:218-231).