Background
Sedative and analgesic medications have been routinely used for decades to provide patient comfort, reduce procedure time, and improve examination quality during colonoscopy.
Objective
To evaluate trends of sedation during colonoscopy in the United States
Setting
Endoscopic data repository of U.S. gastroenterology practices (Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative, CORI database from 2000 until 2013).
Patients
The study population comprised patients undergoing a total of 1,385,436 colonoscopies.
Interventions
Colonoscopy without any intervention or with mucosal biopsy, polypectomy, various means of hemostasis, luminal dilation, stent placement, or ablation.
Main Outcome Measurements
Dose of midazolam, diazepam, fentanyl, meperidine, diphenhydramine, promethazine, and propofol used for sedation during colonoscopy.
Results
During the past 14 years, midazolam, fentanyl and propofol have become the most commonly used sedatives for colonoscopy. Except for benzodiapenzines, which were dosed higher in women than men, equal doses of sedation were given to female and male patients. Whites were given higher doses than other ethnic groups undergoing sedation for colonoscopy. Except for histamine-1 receptor antagonists, all sedative medications were given at lower doses to patients with increasing age. The dose of sedatives was higher in colonoscopies associated with procedural interventions or of long duration.
Conclusions
The findings reflect on colonoscopy practice in the United States during the last 14 years, and provide an incentive for future research on how gender and ethnicity influence sedation practices.