Sedative

A sedative is a drug that depresses the central nervous system (CNS), which causes calmness, relaxation, reduction of anxiety, sleepiness, slowed breathing, slurred speech, staggering gait, poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes. Sedatives may be referred to as tranquilizers, depressants, anxiolytics, soporifics, sleeping pills, downers, or sedative-hypnotics. At high doses or when they are abused, many of these drugs can cause unconsciousness and death.

Therapeutic use

Doctors and nurses often administer sedation to patients in order to dull the patient's anxiety related to painful or anxiety-provoking procedures. Athough sedatives do not relieve pain in themselves, they can be a useful adjunct to analgesics in preparing patients for surgery, and are commonly given to patients before they are anaesthetized, or before other highly uncomfortable and invasive procedures like cardiac catheterization or MRI. They increase tractability and compliance of children or troublesome or demanding patients.

Related Topics:
Doctor - Nurse - Sedation - Analgesic - Surgery - Anaesthetized - Catheterization - MRI

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Patients in intensive care units are almost always sedated (unless they are unconscious from their condition anyway).

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