Midazolam: opportunities and prospects for use in intensive care

Abstract

One of the components of general anesthesia is sedation, which is achieved by using benzodiazepines. Midazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine, contains an imidazole ring that make it different from classic benzodiazepines: high affinity for benzodiazepine receptors; water-solubility salts, which allows the preparation of stable, purified aqueous solutions, the administration of which is well tolerated by the patient; rapid onset and short duration of action due to rapid metabolism. Midazolam has hypnotic, anxiolytic, myorelaxing, anticonvulsant effects, causes antegrade amnesia. Midazolam may be administered iv, im, orally, rectally and intranasally, which allows its use in pediatric practice, in intensive care. Dosages and methods of administration of midazolam are selected individually. The main contraindications of midazolam are hypersensitivity to benzodiazepines or components of the drug, severe respiratory failure, glaucoma, the delivery. Using of midazolam in the practice of anesthesiologists and reanimatology allows us to provide the main principles of modern anesthesiology - the safety and adequacy of anesthesia.