New Study Finds Women Require More Sedation During Oral Surgery Than Men

Finding the right dose of anesthesia during oral surgery can be challenging, especially when the amount needed for each patient is variable. The study, “Female Patients Require a Higher Propofol Infusion Rate for Sedation,” published in the summer edition of Anesthesia Progress, found that men required a lower dosage of a sedative than women during oral surgery.

Study authors evaluated data from 125 dental patients who were sedated with propofol for implant surgery. The researchers sought to identify characteristics that affected the average infusion rate of the drug. They found that women generally needed far more propofol to stay adequately sedated for the duration of implant surgery than men. The authors concluded that for adequate moderate sedation during implant surgery, women likely need to receive high levels of propofol. They also suggested that administering reduced doses of anesthesia to men may be beneficial, as this would improve the safety of the procedure.

From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. August 2016;14(08):15.