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Iatrogenic Withdrawal Syndrome: a Review of Pathophysiology, Prevention, and Treatment

  • Intensive Care Medicine (E Cheung and T Connors, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Pediatrics Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IWS) is the direct result of sedative agents utilized to facilitate pediatric intensive care. The purpose of this review is to overview how sedative agents result in IWS and overview the assessment tools, prevention strategies, and treatments for the condition.

Recent Findings

Since the development of validated withdrawal assessment tools, there has been a focus on identifying IWS risk. The most significant IWS risk factors are duration of exposure to sedatives and total cumulative doses of these agents. Given these risk factors, there has been an effort to develop strategies to prevent IWS, which have not proven to be efficacious thus far. The utilization of these risk factors in the development of sedation tapering protocols has been successful in reducing the amount of exposure children have to sedative agents.

Summary

Iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome is common and is a necessary consequence of sedation needed in order to safely and effectively care for critically ill children. Newly identified risk factors may be helpful in expeditious tapering of sedatives without inducing withdrawal symptoms.

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  1. Department of Pediatrics, New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 3959 Broadway, PH5E 518-A, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Jessica M. LaRosa & Linda Aponte-Patel

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LaRosa, J.M., Aponte-Patel, L. Iatrogenic Withdrawal Syndrome: a Review of Pathophysiology, Prevention, and Treatment. Curr Pediatr Rep 7, 12–19 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40124-019-00187-4

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