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DEXMEDETOMIDINE. A SUMMARY
8
comparison to propofol.
13
There is not sufficient experience in the paediatric population to
ensure safety and efficacy, but dexmedetomidine appears to have a similar pharmacological
profile in children as in adults. Currently, only one dexmedetomidine solution for intravenous
usage is available, but the future could be nasal or buccal administration.
A further look into the future could be the introduction of an α
2
-antagonist in daily practice.
Atipamezole
14
is a selective α
2
-antagonist with a half-life of about 2 hours. It has been
used in veterinary medicine already for a long time to antagonise the central effects of
dexmedetomidine, but is still in phase 1 trials in humans.