The effects of dexmedetomidine and butorphanol Sedation on skin reactivity during intradermal testing in healthy dogs were evaluated. The effects of dexmedetomidine and butorphanol were compared to medetomidine, a sedative agent having scientific proof of not interfering with skin test reactivity, in a randomised, double blind, cross over study performed on 8 adult dogs. The dogs were sedated with medetomidine (Domitor vet.®, 0,01 ml kg-1) intravenously, or dexmedetomidine and butorphanol intramuscularly (Dexdomitor vet.®, 0,01 ml kg-1; Dolorex vet., 0,01 ml kg-1) after which they received intradermal injections of positive control solutions (histamine 0,1 mg ml-1, 0,05 mg ml-1, 0,025 mg ml-1), a negative control solution (0,9 % NaCl) and allergen extract (Dermatophagoides farinae, Cladosporium and Artemisia vulgaris). After a wash out period the trial was repeated with a reversed Sedation protocol.Skin reactivity (wheal size, induration and erythema) and quality of Sedation (immobilization, response to stimuli and injections as well as over all working conditions) were evaluated. The combination of dexmedetomidine and butorphanol provided reliable, good Sedation and analgesia without adverse effects.

Hip dysplasia is a common, inherited malformation of the coxofemoral joint that eventually leads to osteoarthrosis. Several breeds of dogs are affected and the prevalence varies between different breeds. As part of the effort to reduce the prevalence of hip dysplasia and select dogs suitable for breeding, radiological screening is performed by at least 12 months of age. Before the radiological examination the dog has to be chemically restrained, sedated or anesthetized. The Sedation protocol used differs between veterinary clinics. The impact of Sedation method of the screening result for hip dysplasia has been studied.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether the Sedation method had an effect on the screening result for hip dysplasia (HD). Another aspect considered was if the dog?s weight had an impact on the results. This study was a follow up on the results from an earlier study of Sedation routines in Swedish dogs. The breeds included in this study were the same as in the earlier one; German shepherd, Bernese mountain dog, Boxer, Newfoundland, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Golden and Labrador Retriever.

Insomnia is getting more prevalent with age, both because of natural changes in the sleep pattern and because of increased morbidity. It can cause dysfunctioning and Sedation during the day. Therefore it is often treated with hypnotics. It is possible though that hypnotics can cause daytime sleepiness as well, not to mention increased risk of falling and fractures because of Sedation and prolonged reaction time. Benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine related drugs, the subjects of this study, are commonly used as hypnotics.

This study was performed in order to investigate the difficulty in diagnosing retrobulbar disease with ultrasound. A retrospective study was accomplished to investigate the use of ultrasound in patients with suspected retrobulbar problems, and how often the examination is diagnostic. The computer based patient files, at the University of Agricultural Science in Uppsala, were searched for dogs with suspected retrobulbar disease. During 1999-01-01-2004-04-14, 14 patients fulfilling the search criteria were found. The patient records were studied, and the written reports from the ultrasound examinations were compared with the printed pictures from the examinations.

The aim: was to describe and compare a group of experts and critical care nurses' agreement in detecting delirium in intubated, ventilator treated patients with Sedation / analgesia, before and after an in house training intervention with the instrument Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU).Method: A quasi-experimental study, one group pretest - posttest design. A convenience sample of 17 critical care nurses in a general intensive care unit included. To detect delirium the instrument CAM-ICU was used, 21 paired tests before and 22 after an educational intervention.Main Results: The results showed that after an in house training intervention sensitivity and kappa coefficient improved of the characteristic 1 "acute onset and fluctuating course," an improvement that was significant. In other features, and overall values were signs of numerical improvement and deterioration in sensitivity, specificity and kappa coefficient but no significant change.Conclusion: Implementing a new instrument for detecting delirium in clinical practice requires education and follow-up. A small sample of critical care nurses with varying ability to use the new instrument and the fact that patients' status may change rapidly making it difficult to draw any conclusions from this study.

The purpose of this study was to compare normal electroretinographies (ERGs) from three different canine breeds in order to evaluate if there were any marked similarities or differences between these breeds as to ERG responses. It is known that healthy dogs from different breeds but also dogs within the same breed but in different age categories may have different appearances of their ERG responses. This may be a problem when evaluating if an ERG is normal or not from a dog within a breed not previously examined. Because of this it is important to obtain normal values for each breed and age group in order to be able to use these for later comparisons of ERGs obtained from individuals affected with various retinal diseases. In this study we have chosen to examine dogs within the three breeds: Labrador Retriever (LR), English Springer Spaniel (ESS) and Chinese Crested Dog (CCD). All of these breeds may be affected with hereditary retinal diseases such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). It is possible that ERG-responses vary due to a number of different factors.

Background: Examinations with the intent to assess neurological functions and level of conciousness are common in neurocritical care, but the effect on the patient is not entirely researched.Aim: The purpose of this study was to describe the patient?s situation at the neurological wake-up test concerning the environment, nursing interventions and the possibility given the patient to become awake, and if these conditions affect the outcome of the wake-up test.Methods: A quantitative observational study took place at a neurocritical care unit, where 20 patients were observed from interruption of Sedation to the neurological assessment, which was performed by a neurosurgeon or a specialized critical care registered nurse. Nursing interventions, environmental factors and physiological parameters were documented.Result: Twelve intervention varieties to control patients? physiological parameters were used. CPP > 80 mmHg was found in 90 % of observations.

BakgrundDjup sedering är associerat med förlängd vårdtid och ett flertal komplikationer för intensivvårdspatienten. Även för ytlig sedering medför komplikationer, stress och lidande. Studier visar på vikten av adekvat sedering, samt att skalor och protokoll används. Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva sederingsnivå, andel optimalt, över- och undersederade patienter, vårdtid i ventilator och vårdtid inom intensivvården för patienter på en svensk intensivvårdsavdelning.MetodStudien, med deskriptiv design, inkluderade konsekutivt sederade, ventilatorbehandlade patienter, 18 år och äldre, på en svensk intensivvårdsavdelning under nio månader. Primära utfallsvariabler var sederingsnivå, utifrån Motor Activity Assessment Scale och andel optimalt, över- och undersederade patienter.

Oberoende av yrkesområde kan sjuksköterskor möta patienter i livets slutskede. Huvudmålet med den palliativa vården är att symtomlindra. I de fall då konventionell symtomlindring inte uppnår önskad effekt för patienten kan palliativ sedering bli en möjlig behandlingsform. Som teoretisk referensram används Patricia Benners teori ?från novis till expert? samt begreppet attityd.

Koloskopi är en undersökning av tjocktarmen som förväntas öka i antal eftersom studiervisar att screening minskar dödligheten i kolorektalcancer. Patienten kan i vissa falluppleva undersökningen som smärtsam och obehaglig. Sjuksköterskan har enbetydelsefull roll i omvårdnaden. Syftet med studien var att belysa faktorer sompåverkar upplevelsen av smärta och obehag vid en koloskopiundersökning utansedering. Metoden var en litteraturstudie baserad på 19 vetenskapliga artiklar som harkvalitetsbedömts enligt protokoll.

Background: Anxiety with children before surgery is well known. From the 1950s there are various assessment instruments. Despite that most day surgery units offer preparation for children and parents, there are many children who exhibit a strong anxiety the day of surgery, which can lead to postoperative behavioral changes. Today the nurse estimates the anxiety of a child on personal experience and knowledge, forming the basis for estimation whether the child is in need of Sedation or not. The purpose: of this study was to evaluate instruments that the nurse can use in measuring the degree of anxiety of children before fast clinical settings, such as day surgery.

Intensivvårdsmiljön innebär att patienter är i en utsatt situation där integritet och avskildhet kan bli åsidosatt. Därtill behandlas de med potenta sederande och analgetiska läkemedel som i sin tur ger ogynnsamma effekter. Det är därför av vikt att sträva efter att så låga doser som möjligt administreras. Syftet med studien var att undersöka om det fanns någon skillnad i förbrukning av analgetiska och sedativa läkemedel mellan patienter som vårdats på en specialdesignad intensivvårdssal och patienter som vårdats på en ordinär intensivvårdssal på ett medelstort sjukhus i Västsverige. I studien ingick 149 patienter som vårdadats på en specialdesignad intensivvårdssal eller en ordinär intensivvårdssal.

Among researchers it has been established since decades that humans and animals have an internal biological clock that controls certain physiological mechanisms. One example regarding humans is the impairment of lung function during the night, causing the phenomenon ?nocturnal asthma? among asthmatics. Only a few studies concerning respiratory circadian rhythm in horses have been done previously and they showed a daily variation in horses with a chronic or an acute respiratory disease. The technique used in those studies was the conventional technique, which is invasive and less sensitive than the technique used in this study.

The aim: was to describe and compare a group of experts and critical care nurses' agreement in detecting delirium in intubated, ventilator treated patients with Sedation / analgesia, before and after an in house training intervention with the instrument Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU).Method: A quasi-experimental study, one group pretest - posttest design. A convenience sample of 17 critical care nurses in a general intensive care unit included. To detect delirium the instrument CAM-ICU was used, 21 paired tests before and 22 after an educational intervention.Main Results: The results showed that after an in house training intervention sensitivity and kappa coefficient improved of the characteristic 1 "acute onset and fluctuating course," an improvement that was significant. In other features, and overall values were signs of numerical improvement and deterioration in sensitivity, specificity and kappa coefficient but no significant change.Conclusion: Implementing a new instrument for detecting delirium in clinical practice requires education and follow-up. A small sample of critical care nurses with varying ability to use the new instrument and the fact that patients' status may change rapidly making it difficult to draw any conclusions from this study.