Question

Concerning sedation, which of the following is correct?

A) Sedation describes a number of clearly defined and discrete states between the fully awake state and full unconsciousness.
B) Airway obstruction is not a concern with moderate sedation.
C) Drugs used to provide sedation are different from the ones used to induce anesthesia.
D) Pediatric patients always require GA in OOR sites.
E) Respiratory depression is a side effect of the majority of agents used for sedation.

Answer 1

The correct statement about sedation is that respiratory depression is a side effect of most sedation agents. Options regarding the nature of sedation states, airway obstruction with moderate sedation, differences in drugs for sedation and anesthesia, and the necessity of general anesthesia for pediatric patients are incorrect.

Step-by-step explanation:

Concerning sedation, the correct statement is E) Respiratory depression is a side effect of the majority of agents used for sedation. Sedation indeed includes a range of states between full awakeness and full unconsciousness, often described as minimal, moderate, or deep sedation. However, these states are not discrete but rather exist on a continuum. With moderate sedation, there is possibly a risk for airway obstruction, contrary to option B, which falsely states that it is not a concern. Furthermore, drugs used for sedation can also be used for anesthesia; they are not necessarily different as stated in option C. Lastly, general anesthesia (GA) is not always required for pediatric patients in out of operating room (OOR) sites, as claimed in option D.