The Rise of Procedural Sedation Beyond Anesthesiology: An Urgent Need for Unified Safety Standards

Hameed Muhi, Luma; Shahidi Delshad, Elham

doi:10.22087/ijac.2025.565380.1087

The Rise of Procedural Sedation Beyond Anesthesiology: An Urgent Need for Unified Safety Standards

Document Type : Research

Authors

Luma Hameed Muhi ¹

Elham Shahidi Delshad ²

¹ Department of Anesthesia Techniques, Mosul Medical Technical Institute, Northern Technical University, Iraq

² Department of Anesthesia, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

10.22087/ijac.2025.565380.1087

Abstract

Procedural sedation has expanded far beyond anesthesiology and is now routinely performed in dental practices, gastroenterology practices, endoscopy suites, interventional radiology, emergency departments, and diverse outpatient settings. This rapid growth has not been accompanied by unified safety standards, resulting in considerable variability in monitoring, training, and readiness to manage sedation-related complications. Current evidence demonstrates that inconsistent monitoring, particularly the absence of capnography, remains a key contributor to preventable respiratory complications. This policy brief proposes a harmonized, cross-disciplinary framework that emphasizes universal risk assessment, competency-based provider training, structured oversight, and standardized monitoring requirements.

Keywords

Conscious Sedation

Non-Operating Room Anesthesia (NORA)

Capnography

Airway Management

Patient Safety

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