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Heitmiller, Eugenie. "How Anesthesia Works." 01 April 2000. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/anesthesia.htm> 09 May 2008.
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Sedation
Some of the drugs that produce general anesthesia in large doses can be used to produce sedation or "twilight sleep" in lower doses. Sedation can be given in many ways. A common example of an anesthetic gas that is used for sedation is nitrous oxide or laughing gas. Liquid sedating drugs are usually given by injection but some can also be given by mouth. Ketamine and Versed are examples of sedating drugs that can be given by injection or by mouth. The oral route is particularly useful for sedating children who do not like injections.Children who refuse to drink medications may also receive sedation through the rectum via a small, lubricated tube or via the nasal route by spraying it into the nose. Regional and local anesthesia can be combined with sedation to make patients more comfortable during a procedure in which general anesthesia is not necessary, or when general anesthesia may be too large a risk for the patient.
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Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this How Stuff Works article:
Heitmiller, Eugenie. "How Anesthesia Works." 01 April 2000. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/anesthesia.htm> 09 May 2008.
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