Analgosedatives in the PICU – more than sleep alone?

Up to 70 % of drugs administered to children in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) are used unlicensed or off-label. This means, without regulatory review of information about safety and efficacy and without appropriate dosages or formulations.

The aims of this thesis are:
1) To review existing knowledge on PK, PD and ethical challenges in critically ill children with a focus on analgosedatives.
2) To study complex PICU pharmacokinetics using as examples:
a) The pharmacokinetics of clonidine in ECMO patients
b) Oral bioavailability of paracetamol in critically ill patients
3) To study hemodynamic efficacy and safety outcomes of analgosedatives
a) Is hemodynamic stability similar in tailored sedation versus pre-emptive sedation after heart surgery in young infants?
b) What is the impact of clonidine on hemodynamic stability in neonates after heart surgery and in a general mixed PICU population