Influence of opioid choice on mechanical ventilation duration and ICU length of stay.

Abstract

Our study suggests that using a short-acting opiate with short context-sensitive half-life in an analgesia-based sedation protocol may significantly decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation and the ICU length of stay even though not significantly in long term sedation, while improving the achievement of sedation goals despite a lower requirement for adjunctive hypnotic agents, with no additional costs.