Management of sedation during weaning from mechanical ventilation

Critically ill patients frequently require mechanical ventilation and often receive sedation to control pain, reduce anxiety, and facilitate patient-ventilator interactions. Weaning from mechanical ventilation is intertwined with sedation management. In this review, we analyze the current evidence for sedation management during ventilatory weaning, including level of sedation, timing of sedation weaning, analgesic and sedative choices, and sedation management in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).