Conscious sedation for pediatric cardiac catheterization

Diagnostic procedures make up a major portion of the practice of pediatric cardiology. Patient cooperation, often for extended periods, is of utmost importance for successful complication of many pediatric cardiac diagnostic procedures particularly those involving infants and preschool-age children. This requires the use of sedation. Invasive procedures such as cardiac catheterization and transesophageal echocardiography may cause significant discomfort, necessitating the use of additional analgesic and amnesic agents. Multiple drugs or repeated dose may be required during lengthy procedures. Ensuring patient safety by appropriate cardiorespiratory monitoring is mandatory. This review focuses on the pharmacologic agents used in pediatric cardiac catheterization. The pharmacology, indications for usage, and the risks and benefits of commonly used agents are addressed

Sedation for pediatric echocardiography: a Brief review

Sedation is required for echocardiography in the pediatric age group for accurate diagnosis and reliable studies. The drugs used for sedation for echocardiograms include chloral hydrate and midazolam. Though chloral hydrate continues to be used, there may concerns regarding its safety. Midazolam may have advantages, especially with the oral form of the drug. The status of these drugs and the role of sedation for other procedures in pediatric cardiology are included