Doxapram as an Additive to Propofol Sedation in Sedation for ERCP
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2016-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Sedation is needed in order to complete endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
to alleviate discomfort and pain during the procedure. This is usually achieved with use of
opioids and/or sedative agents such as benzodiazepines or propofol. Traditionally
benzodiazepines have been used but nowadays propofol is becoming the drug of choice for
sedation during ERCP.
The problem with propofol sedation is the fact that it may case cardiorespiratory depression
and there is no antidote for this like there is for benzodiazepines. Cardiovascular
depression can usually be easily counteracted with drugs that are used to raise blood
pressure or heart rate during general anesthesia but respiratory depression remains a
problem.
The aim of this study is to try to counteract the respiratory depression caused by propofol
sedation using an old respiratory stimulant doxapram as opposed to placebo using a double
blind randomized protocol.
The investigators hypothesis is that boluses and an infusion of doxapram will alleviate the
respiratory depression caused by propofol sedation.