A DOCS Education member asks: Have you had any personal experiences with sedating an autistic patient? Have you heard of any concerns with this issue?
Dr. Anthony Feck, Dean of DOCS Education Faculty responds:
The autistic patient is assessed like any other prior to sedation. Their medical conditions and medications are reviewed and a determination is made as to how those conditions and drug interactions will impact the sedation procedure.
If your patient is healthy, and there are no contradictory drug interactions then an autistic patient is a good candidate for sedation as long as the severity of the disorder does not prevent cooperation. The patient must be able to communicate in order to confirm their level of consciousness. So, if you can have a conversation with the patient in which they respond to basic questions prior to sedation, and they can and will follow instructions, then this patient is an acceptable candidate.
Dr. Leslie Fang, DOCS Education Faculty responds:
In the medical setting, autistic patients are often sedated for invasive procedures. The severity of the autism will dictate the mode of sedation (oral vs. intravenous). It is important to realize that one would not uncommonly over-estimate the amount of sedation one would need. These patients may initially look like they are resistant to the sedatives given and would abruptly become over-sedated. It is therefore important to start low, wait and gingerly titrate the doses. You should allot more time for this sedation session.
This blog post should never be considered a proper replacement for necessary training and/or education regarding adult oral conscious sedation. Regulations regarding sedation vary by state. This is an educational and informational piece.
