Sedating ventilated COVID-19 patients with inhalational anesthetic drugs

摘要

Most patients with COVID-19 exhibit mild to moderate respiratory symptoms; however, some develop severe pneumonia and hypoxemia is a frequent cause of death. Severely ill COVID-19 patientsoften require endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.The choice of drugs to sedate these patients differs widely dependingon drug availability and clinical expertise. We suggest that care providers with the appropriate clinical expertise, consider the use ofinhalational anesthetic drugs, such as sevoflurane and isoflurane forthe following reasons.