Abstract
Literature evaluating the use of lipophilic opioid adjuvants (commonly fentanyl, remifentanil, or sufentanil) compared to dexmedetomidine regularly demonstrates comparable and adequate labor analgesic effects. There is also evidence evaluating overall anesthetic consumption during labor when using various epidural adjuvants, which can be used as a proxy to determine the adequacy of pain control. On multiple counts, dexmedetomidine demonstrated significantly less local anesthetic requirements compared to opioid use. Additionally, opioid use is readily understood to increase the risk of pruritis, nausea, and vomiting. In contrast, dexmedetomidine is frequently shown to have a decreased frequency of nausea and vomiting, along with minimal complaints of pruritis. Other potential benefits of dexmedetomidine include anxiolysis, increased frequency and amplitude of contractions, and decreased duration of the first and second stages of labor. These results indicate that dexmedetomidine is a safe and effective alternative to opioids within the obstetric setting and should be considered a valid adjuvant option during epidural administration.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
DNP Capstone Project
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Case Study/Series
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Dexmedetomidine, Labor, Epidural
Advisor
David Fort
Second Advisor
Lauren Barnes
Degree
DNP
Degree Grantor
Samford University
Degree Year
2025
Recommended Citation
Austin, Joshua T. and Fort, David, "Dexmedetomidine as an Epidural Adjuvant in the Obstetric Setting" (2025). Group: Samford University Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing. 188.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/samford/188
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
None: Degree-based Submission
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Full Text of Presentation
wf_yes
