The respiratory effects of drugs used for conscious sedation and general anesthesia.

This review article illustrates that all medications used for conscious sedation can depress ventilation. The dental practitioner should not abandon the use of these agents to control fear and anxiety during dental treatment; rather, the dentist should administer the agents cautiously and monitor respiratory status throughout the dental procedure. In this regard, pulse oximetry is a welcomed advance in monitoring as it acts to warn the unknowing clinician that he is approaching a "cliff" (the steep portion of the oxyhemoglobin curve).