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2019 May-Jun
J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther
24
3
Opioids and benzodiazepines have been the mainstay of neonatal analgesia and sedation. However, based on evidence in neonatal animals, these drugs may be deleterious for the developing brain. Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a central alpha-2 agonist, has sedative and analgesic effects and has been shown to be neuroprotective in animal models. Despite increasing use of DEX in newborns, there is a paucity of data regarding its safety and efficacy in this population.