Propofol, dexmedetomidine, and opioids are commonly used for patients requiring continuous sedation or analgesia, such as for those receiving mechanical ventilation. Although these medications are generally safe, some may be unable to tolerate them due to hemodynamic status. Ketamine is a rapid acting, dissociative anesthetic used frequently in the emergency department for sedation and, more recently, pain relief. Ketamine use during procedural sedation in the emergency department and perioperative setting has been shown to provide sedation and pain relief without the negative hemodynamic and pulmonary effects of traditional sedatives and analgesics.11-16 These findings suggest ketamine may be an ideal agent for continuous sedation in critically ill patients.

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