Upper Airway Collapsibility during Dexmedetomidine and Propofol Sedation in Healthy Volunteers: A Nonblinded Randomized Crossover Study.

Background: Dexmedetomidine is a sedative promoted as having minimal impact on ventilatory drive or upper airway muscle activity. However, a trial recently demonstrated impaired ventilatory drive and induction of apneas in sedated volunteers. The present study measured upper airway collapsibility during dexmedetomidine sedation and related it to propofol.