A study published in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety examined adverse events during moderate procedural sedation and compared patient and provider characteristics.
Researchers performed a retrospective review of 83 moderate procedural sedation cases in which safety incidents were reported during a 12-year period at a tertiary medical center.
Here are five findings:
1. The most common adverse events were oversedation/apnea (60.2 percent), hypoxemia (42.2 percent) and aspiration (24.1 percent).
2. The most common unplanned interventions were the use of reversal agents (55.4 percent) and prolonged bag-mask ventilation (25.3 percent).
3. Cardiology, gastroenterology and radiology were the specialties most frequently associated with adverse events during moderate procedural sedation.
4. Women were more likely to experience adverse events than men.
5. Increased body mass index was associated with lower rates of hypoxemia, while older age was linked with high rates of oversedation, harm done and use of reversal agents.
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