The published literature on the use of dexmedetomidine as an adjunct to sedation and analgesia in the management of pediatric narcotic withdrawal was reviewed. Pediatric narcotic withdrawal syndromes are reported to be increasingly frequent in pediatric intensive care units. A number of tools specifically designed for assessment of withdrawal in newborns and infants are in current use, including the widely used Finnegan Scoring System. A limited number of studies and case reports suggest that dexmedetomidine, an α2-receptor agonist with a mechanism of action similar to that of clonidine but with greater α2-receptor specificity, might have a role in the treatment of pediatric withdrawal (by blunting withdrawal symptoms without causing respiratory depression and by permitting shorter narcotic tapering schedules) and also in the prevention of pediatric narcotic withdrawal (by reducing narcotic requirements). Potential adverse effects associated with dexmedetomidine use in pediatric patients are generally associated with use of bolus doses and mainly involve central nervous system effects (e.g., hypotension, bradycardia), with no hemodynamic manifestations. When bolus doses are used, strategies described in published reports entail a loading dose of 0.5–1.0 μg/kg administered over 5–10 minutes, followed by a continuous infusion at 0.1–1.4 μg/kg/hr for a period of 1–16 days. More research is needed to define the optimal use of dexmedetomidine in the management of pediatric narcotic withdrawal. A limited body of published evidence from retrospective studies and case reports suggests a potential role for dexmedetomidine as an adjunct therapy to provide sedation and analgesia to reduce narcotic withdrawal symptoms in pediatric patients.

Alexandra Oschman

Tara McCabe

Robert J. Kuhn

American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy

美国卫生系统药学杂志 (AJHP) 是美国卫生系统药剂师协会 (ASHP) 的官方出版物。它发表了关于医院和卫生系统中当代药物治疗和药学实践创新的同行评审科学论文。 AJHP 的发行量超过 43,000 份，是世界上最广泛认可和最受尊敬的临床药学期刊。

The American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (AJHP) is the official publication of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). It publishes peer-reviewed scientific papers on contemporary drug therapy and innovations in pharmacy practice within hospitals and health systems. With a circulation of over 43,000 copies, AJHP is one of the most widely recognized and respected clinical pharmacy journals in the world.

《American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy》（AJHP）是美国卫生系统药剂师协会（ASHP）的官方出版物。该期刊发表关于医院和卫生系统中现代药物治疗及药学实践创新的同行评审科学论文。AJHP的发行量超过43,000份，是全球最受认可和尊敬的临床药学期刊之一。

Category	Quartile
医学	4
医学, 药学	4

Dexmedetomidine for opioid and benzodiazepine withdrawal in pediatric patients

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY	3