Shehabi Y, et al. – In this open-label, randomized trial in which researchers enrolled 4,000 critically ill adults who underwent ventilation for < 12 hours in the intensive care unit (ICU) and were supposed to continue to receive ventilatory support for longer than the next calendar day, the effect of early sedation with dexmedetomidine was assessed in critically ill patients. Patients were randomized to receive either dexmedetomidine or usual care (propofol, midazolam, or other sedatives). In the dexmedetomidine group, bradycardia and hypotension were common manifestations. Thus, among individuals who underwent mechanical ventilation in the ICU, those who received early dexmedetomidine for sedation had a rate of death at 90 days comparable to those in the usual-care group and needed supplemental sedatives to accomplish the prescribed level of sedation. Also, in comparison to the usual-care group, more adverse events were recorded in the dexmedetomidine group.