Iirola et al. Journal of Medical Case Reports 2010, 4:73 http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/content/4/1/73 Competing interests TI, RL, EK, RA and KTO have ongoing contract research relationships with Orion Corporation (Espoo, Finland), the original developer of dexmedetomidine. TI has received speaker fees from Orion Corporation. RA has been a paid consultant for Orion Corporation and Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, Illinois, US), the original co-developers of dexmedetomidine, as well as for Hospira (Lake Forest, Illinois, US). Hospira has a license agreement with Orion Corporation concerning dexmedetomidine (Precedex®). JPK has been engaged in contract research for Orion Corporation and Hospira. The laboratory of MS has contract research relationships with Orion Corporation and Hospira. Hospira has a license agreement with Orion Corporation concerning dexmedetomidine (Precedex®). MS has also received speaker fees and consulting fees from Orion Corporation. Received: 22 October 2009 Accepted: 25 February 2010 Published: 25 February 2010 References 1. Riker R, Picard J, Fraser G: Prospective evaluation of the sedation-agitation scale for adult critically ill patients. Crit Care Med 1999, 27:1325-1329. 2. Snapir A, Posti J, Kentala E, Koskenvuo J, Sundell J, Tuunanen H, Hakala K, Scheinin H, Knuuti J, Scheinin M: Effects of low and high plasma concentrations of dexmedetomidine on myocardial perfusion and cardiac function in healthy male subjects. Anesthesiol 2006, 105:902-910. 3. Enomoto Y, Kudo T, Saito T, Hori T, Kaneko M, Matsui A, Mizutani T: Prolonged use of dexmedetomidine in an infant with respiratory failure following living donor liver transplantation. Paediatr Anaesth 2006, 16:1285-1288. 4. Venn R, Karol M, Grounds R: Pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine infusions for sedation of postoperative patients requiring intensive care. Br J Anaesth 2002, 88:669-675. 5. Karol M, Maze M: Pharmacokinetics and interaction pharmacodynamics of dexmedetomidine in humans. Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol 2000, 14:261-269. 6. Ebert T, Hall J, Barney J, Uhrich T, Colinco M: The effects of increasing plasma concentrations of dexmedetomidine in humans. Anesthesiol 2000, 93:382-394. doi:10.1186/1752-1947-4-73 Cite this article as: Iirola et al.: Highly variable pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine during intensive care: a case report. Journal of Medical Case Reports 2010 4:73. Page 5 of 5 Submit your next manuscript to BioMed Central and take full advantage of: • Convenient online submission • Thorough peer review • No space constraints or color ﬁgure charges • Immediate publication on acceptance • Inclusion in PubMed, CAS, Scopus and Google Scholar • Research which is freely available for redistribution Submit your manuscript at www.biomedcentral.com/submit