A Review of the Effects of Sedation on Thermoregulation: Insights for the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory

Purpose: To examine the effects that the sedative and analgesic medications commonly used in the cardiac catheterization laboratory have on thermoregulation. Design: A structured review strategy was used. Methods: MEDLINE and CINAHL were searched for published studies, and reference lists of retrieved studies were scrutinized for further studies. Data were extracted using a standardized extraction tool. Findings: A total of nine studies examined the effect that sedative and analgesic medications have on thermoregulation. Midazolam has minimal impact on thermoregulation, whereas opioids, dexmedetomidine, and propofol markedly decrease vasoconstriction and shivering thresholds. Conclusions: Patients who receive sedation in the cardiac catheterization laboratory may be at risk of hypothermia because of the use of medications that impair thermoregulation. Further research is required to identify the prevalence of unplanned hypothermia during sedation in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.