A scoping review described potential ICU applications while finding important limits in the clinical evidence.
Target-controlled infusion calculates administration from pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic models rather than measuring the intended concentration continuously in every patient. The review discussed critical-care sedation and broader applications, including newer generalized models. It highlighted a need for additional research and validation in critically ill populations.
A scoping review maps heterogeneous evidence and does not itself validate every drug model or prove superiority over manual infusion. ICU physiology can differ substantially from the population used to develop a model. Agreement with a processed EEG index is also different from demonstrated improvement in meaningful clinical outcomes.
For a benzodiazepine infusion opinion, identify the exact model, patient inputs, target compartment and observed clinical response. The displayed target is an estimate, not an independent blood measurement. Assess whether the relevant model was validated for that drug and patient setting before attributing a recovery or sedation problem to the target value alone.
Source reviewed: Target controlled infusion in the intensive care unit a scoping review (PMC13053594). Forensic implications are interpretive analysis of the supplied paper.
Related reading: A Broad Remimazolam PK–PD Model Incorporated Age-Related Sensitivity.