Major Adverse Events

The incidence of sedation-related adverse events depends on medication characteristics, procedure conditions, and preexisting patient physiologic and psychological conditions. Major adverse sedation-related events represent extreme physiologic change causing significant patient harm that may be long-lasting or permanent, particularly if responded to ineffectively by the sedationist. Large safety studies of pediatric sedation events suggest that events of this type occur very rarely when well-organized, equipped, and trained sedation teams are present. However, sporadic reports of death during pediatric sedation continue to surface, providing significant impetus for effective preparation and training for sedationists. Major adverse sedation-related events discussed here are aspiration, cardiovascular collapse, respiratory failure, and death.