Remifentanil has a half-life of 3 to 4 minutes
that is independent of the infusion duration or
organ function. It has been investigated as a
sedative agent in ICUs predominantly among surgical
patients. It has been compared with midazolam
alone, midazolam with fentanyl, fentanyl
alone, and morphine.22-25 Although remifentanil
has been associated with a reduced duration of
mechanical ventilation and ICU stay in these
small trials, it has not yet been evaluated in a
large, heterogeneous population of critically ill
patients and is currently not a common choice in
most ICUs.