ABSTRACT
In 1971, Monheim coined the term sedalgesia to describe a drug-induced alteration of consciousness which would lessen the impact of an unpleasant experience upon a conscious patient during uncomfortable dental procedures [1]. The following year, Lee used the term conscious sedation to describe a state of modified consciousness which allowed patients to be comfortable while maintaining their own cardiorespiratory function [2]. For over a century, inhalation agents such as nitrous oxide had been used for this purpose. By the mid-1970s, intravenous conscious sedation with benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and major tranquilizers increased in popularity because it did not require the use of specialized gas delivery systems [3]. In addition, the use of conscious sedation spread from the dental office to many medical venues where patients were subjected to uncomfortable procedures such as upper and lower GI endoscopy, bronchoscopy, and cystoscopy. Pediatric procedures, especially those that are not particularly uncomfortable such as radiologic studies, also proved suitable to conscious sedation.
